Three Doctors Die in Suspected Bullying Cases, Latest Victim Dr Adrian Rantung
Sad news has once again emerged from the Medical Specialist Training Programme (PPDS), as a young doctor, dr Adrian Rantung, died in circumstances suspected to be the result of bullying.
The doctor, a participant in the anaesthesiology PPDS at the Faculty of Medicine, Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat), was undertaking his specialist training at Prof. Dr. R.D. Kandou General Hospital in Manado.
TRIGGER WARNING: The following information is not intended to inspire anyone to carry out similar acts. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression with tendencies towards suicidal thoughts, please consult a professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or a mental health clinic.
dr Adrian is believed to have died after suffering severe pressure during his specialist training at the hospital.
This is not the first time a bullying case has occurred in the medical world. Below are several cases of doctors who died, allegedly by suicide, as a result of bullying.
A young doctor was suspected of taking her own life as a result of bullying by her seniors in the anaesthesiology PPDS at Diponegoro University (Undip) in Semarang.
dr Aulia Risma was found dead in her boarding room with multiple injection marks, giving rise to suspicions of suicide linked to bullying.
The case occurred in 2024. Initially, Undip and the victim’s family rejected suggestions that dr Aulia Risma had taken her own life.
This was because she had frequently complained of struggling to cope with the demands of her training, and she also suffered from a pinched nerve condition.
Police found several pieces of evidence, including syringes and empty bottles of Roculax, a pain-relief medication.
As the investigation progressed, the Central Java Regional Police named three suspects: TE, SM and doctor ZY.
The three suspects were TE, the Head of the Anaesthesiology Study Programme at the Undip Faculty of Medicine; SM, the Head of Medical Staff for the Undip anaesthesiology programme; and ZY, a senior doctor supervising the victim.
- dr Eliza Princila Utami Pakaenomi, or dr Icha
More recently, a young doctor named dr Eliza Princila Utami Pakaenomi, known as dr Icha, suffered severe depression after allegedly receiving intimidation from a member of the North Central Timor (TTU) Regency Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).