You were trained to listen to everyone. Who is listening to you?

This is a forest of stories from Malaysian doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, nurses and others with a healthcare background. Each story becomes a tree. Walk through it, or plant your own without giving your name.

Walk the forest Plant your story

Why does this place exist? Read why I started it

The forest so far

Every tree is someone’s story, told with permission. Names, places and hospitals are changed so nobody can be identified.

Nurse

“I’m fine” at 3am: a nurse’s honest words

At three in the morning, the ward finally goes quiet.

Dietitian

A dietitian trained in the US, laughed at by her boss in Malaysia for being “some kind of titien”: the true story of a nutrition professional

Of all the healthcare people I know, she is the one whose story stings the most.

Pharmacist

The pharmacist who graduated with money to spare: why can’t he see a future? The real situation of a Malaysian JPA scholar

He graduated in pharmacy from Monash University, on several scholarships that covered all his fees and still left a surplus.

Doctor

“Burn all my medical books!”: the true story of an overseas medical graduate coming home to Malaysia

From the time he was very small, my cousin said he would be a doctor when he grew up.

Walk the whole forest

Why I made this place

I have seen too many people with a medical or health background in Malaysia whose talent goes unrecognised. Every day they listen to other people, but very few people listen to them. I made this site so their stories can be heard.

Read the whole story

Plant your story here

Something you have never said out loud is a good place to start. You don’t need to give your name.

I read every story myself. I remove hospital names and anything that could identify you, and nothing is planted in the forest without that review.

Your story (required)

You are a (required)

The name you’d like to sign with (optional. A pen name is fine. Leave it blank to stay anonymous.)

Email (required)

Please don’t include your patients’ names or your hospital in the story. You can sign with a pen name instead of your real name. Your email is only used to contact you about your story. It is never shown on the site.

I agree that White Coat Unheard may use my story and email, in line with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA): to read and edit the story, remove identifying details, publish it, and contact me about it. I understand my story may include details about my health or work. I can ask for it to be deleted at any time. Read the privacy notice

I review every submission myself. Hospital names and personal details are removed before anything is published, and nothing is published without review.

Some paths lead somewhere you didn’t expect

The usual track is not the only way to use a healthcare degree. Some people go overseas. Some move into industry, write about health, teach, or start their own practice. Every path has a cost.

Every path has people who do well on it, and people who find it hard. If you are wondering about your next step and want someone to talk to, I can listen.

Talk to me Read about other paths

What’s in the air

Short, calm takes on news that affects healthcare people in Malaysia.

Contract doctors walking out of hospitals in black: what happened in the 2021 Hartal Doktor Kontrak?

Of about 23,000 contract doctors between 2016 and 2021, only 789 were made permanent.

The allowance that was almost cut just before the pandemic: the 2019 BIPK episode

Same hospital, same department, same work. One circular nearly gave the people who joined a year later one allowance less.