Re: Reason for long waiting Qs for patient in Tan Tock Seng
ckbmwe60;782268 said:
Rough estimate: weekdays call 210 per shift. You start at 7 am and typically leave the next day around 5 pm. That will be 34 hours. So divide that you get the amount above. Of course this is only call allowance. But MO pay is pretty pathetic anyway starting from 2k plus pre tax for first year MO
thanks for sharing your numbers. just looking at them, i would say that the figure of $6/hr was a little sensationalized imho since the 34hour time period actually includes a fair amount of regular work hours, for which you have already been remunerated through your base salary and bonus (which if i recall, historically averages 3 months for your average performing MOs?)
also while many MOs do work the 34hr shifts you describe, especially the surgical specialties, an increasing number of departments are encouraging MOs to go "post-call" (ie, end their work day around lunchtime), some going as far as to schedule off-days for the MOs who are unable to enjoy "post-calls"
to say the MO starting pay is 2k plus is also a little misleading because its actually high 2k, almost 3k. this is for the guys who haven't completed NS. Those first year MOs who have completed NS actually get about 3.2k/mth iirc.
Don't get me wrong though, I do agree that junior doctors in our public healthcare system are underpaid compared to their peers in other industries and doctors in other developed countries, but the pay isn't as pathetic as what many bemoan it to be la... it's certainly not less than a McDonald's delivery guy when calculated on a per hour basis, as is the popular myth,
and to put the call allowance issue in perspective, there are MOs in the public healthcare system who, if they choose to put in extra hours beyond what they are obliged to, are paid an additional $120/hr to work in the A&E and $80/hr to work in the polyclinic.
just my 2cents worth.