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Motivation & Insight into Medicine 1
Singapore Airlines pilots cannot work for more than a certain number of hours, however, Singaporean doctors are not granted such a privilege. Why is that so?
(Note: this is an old question, however, medical schools do tend to recycle some questions, and sometimes older doctors or those who are retired or only work in private practice may not be aware of new regulations for junior doctors and ask questions if there is a lot of time. It could also be asked as a “got-you” question.)
Average Candidate Response
I think that this is due to the shortage of doctors, as well as the greater need for pilots to not be tired given the number of passengers on each plane that would be at potential risk of harm, if a pilot was over-tired.
Excellent Candidate Response
Since May 2014, the SMC has stipulated that, in PGY1 (Postgraduate Year 1), work hours for Singaporean doctors are limited to 80 hours per week, including night call hours, and that there should be at least 10 hours of rest between duty periods and an off day each week. From speaking to doctors on the ward, however, I am aware that one may still have to commit to longer periods of time during crunch times or emergencies.
I believe that there are a number of reasons there is a discrepancy between pilots and doctors. Firstly, pilots tend to work in isolated teams consisting of only two or three trained pilots, whereas doctors, particularly in Singapore, will almost always be able to seek advice from many other fellow medical professionals. For this reason, it is incredibly important pilots are well-rested. Secondly, pilots in Singapore have historically had a stronger union representation. Thirdly, perhaps more cynically, there are financial motives for this, particularly since SIA pilots regularly handle the lives of individuals from more privileged backgrounds, while in Singaporean government hospitals where PGY doctors work in, particularly in C and B- class wards, where I have volunteered at, the patients are of poorer backgrounds. As such, should an iatrogenic mistake occur, the media backlash in hospitals is a lot less. This leads me onto a point Atul Gawande noted in his book the Checklist Manifesto – that the nature of plane crashes is that they are loud, violent and very much in the public eye. They cause ensuing panic at airports around the world and for families across the globe.
By contrast, deaths in the hospital are often handled privately and quietly so as to allow the family to grieve. Finally, except for maybe in infectious diseases, when a doctor makes a mistake, his own life is usually not at risk, whereas a pilot making a mistake will endanger his own life. This provides additional incentive for pilots to fight for fewer working hours so as to be well-rested during flights.
I think that this is due to the shortage of doctors, as well as the greater need for pilots to not be tired given the number of passengers on each plane that would be at potential risk of harm, if a pilot was over-tired.
Excellent Candidate Response
Since May 2014, the SMC has stipulated that, in PGY1 (Postgraduate Year 1), work hours for Singaporean doctors are limited to 80 hours per week, including night call hours, and that there should be at least 10 hours of rest between duty periods and an off day each week. From speaking to doctors on the ward, however, I am aware that one may still have to commit to longer periods of time during crunch times or emergencies.
I believe that there are a number of reasons there is a discrepancy between pilots and doctors. Firstly, pilots tend to work in isolated teams consisting of only two or three trained pilots, whereas doctors, particularly in Singapore, will almost always be able to seek advice from many other fellow medical professionals. For this reason, it is incredibly important pilots are well-rested. Secondly, pilots in Singapore have historically had a stronger union representation. Thirdly, perhaps more cynically, there are financial motives for this, particularly since SIA pilots regularly handle the lives of individuals from more privileged backgrounds, while in Singaporean government hospitals where PGY doctors work in, particularly in C and B- class wards, where I have volunteered at, the patients are of poorer backgrounds. As such, should an iatrogenic mistake occur, the media backlash in hospitals is a lot less. This leads me onto a point Atul Gawande noted in his book the Checklist Manifesto – that the nature of plane crashes is that they are loud, violent and very much in the public eye. They cause ensuing panic at airports around the world and for families across the globe.
By contrast, deaths in the hospital are often handled privately and quietly so as to allow the family to grieve. Finally, except for maybe in infectious diseases, when a doctor makes a mistake, his own life is usually not at risk, whereas a pilot making a mistake will endanger his own life. This provides additional incentive for pilots to fight for fewer working hours so as to be well-rested during flights.