A Surprising Difference between Japan and Cambodia’s Medical Work

I practiced clinical clerkship in Cambodia for 10 weeks thanks to my university’s curriculum, during which I trained in general surgery, internal medicine, and orthopedic trauma surgery departments. I have learned a lot about health problems and medical work in Cambodia, one of which I did not expect to see at all.

A huge difference between Cambodia and Japan medical work is the working environment. In Japan, the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals work in a serious manner. In other  words, they work with little, or without any casual conversation with the co-workers to form a strong friendship in the workplace. In my opinion, it can cause stress in the workplace. I have no intention of saying that Japan’s medical work is terrible because the service in Japanese hospital is great. I also once thought that every hospital in any place has this same atmosphere, working hard and seriously. However, after training the Cambodian’s hospital from day one, I noticed that the medical professionals, especially the surgeons, love making joke and laughing a lot during working. The doctors and nurses tease each other as if they were friends who studied in the same school for years. Even in some stressful situations, the medical professionals still can make some jokes to light up the atmosphere. This does not mean they do not take their work seriously. Instead, because they take their work seriously, they have to make themselves and others laugh to relieve their stress. I can still remember a phrase from one of the most talented surgeons there. He jokingly said that if he tried to keep quiet for one day, he would suffocate to death!

In short, Japan and Cambodia’s working environment is so different and whether or not it is good is subjective. It might depend on the culture and mindset. Perhaps the Japanese people prefer seeing the medical professionals working seriously and not joking around because they want to be reassured that they get a good service. On the other hand, perhaps having a lot of casual talk and making joke during work is a norm in Cambodia society.

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