A local health district in New South Wales has apologised after an administrator accidentally sent an email to junior doctors calling them a “workforce of clinical marshmellows [sic]”.
The email, seen by Guardian Australia, was sent by a medical administration manager at a hospital who appears to be complaining about a doctor’s response to a rostering issue.
The misfired message starts: “Seriously!
“I wonder if any of them realise that they are a doctor and that this is what happens. Oh that’s right … I forgot. Life style [sic] before career,” the message continued.
“God help us in the future. We are going to have a workforce of clinical marshmellows!”
The union representing doctors, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (Asmof), called the message “tone-deaf” and “unacceptable”, particularly “when NSW is facing a healthcare workforce crisis”.
A spokesperson for the relevant local health district said: “Junior medical officers (JMOs) work hard and are a vital part of our health service, and we sincerely apologise for the hurt and frustration caused by a recent email that was circulated.
“We are committed to fostering a workplace where junior medical officers feel valued and respected. The email did not reflect this commitment or our values, and we have written to the relevant JMOs to apologise. The matter is being addressed appropriately,” they said.
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The email sparked furore and memes on online doctor forums.
JMOs include interns who have just completed their university medical training and are in their first year of being practising doctors, and residents who have completed internships and hold a general registration.
On a Reddit forum for junior doctors, one commenter shared a joke job advertisement for the position of “clinical marshmallow”, drawing several comments that it was “unfortunately a very common attitude amongst HR/admin towards JMOs”.
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The Asmof executive director, Andrew Holland, said the email was “not only offensive but reveals a deep disconnect between hospital administration and frontline staff who are working under immense pressure”.
“They deserve respect and support, not ridicule from those who should be advocating for them,” Holland said in a statement.
“At a time when NSW is facing a healthcare workforce crisis, these comments are not just tone-deaf – they are damaging, demoralising, and unacceptable.
“Junior doctors enter this profession to care for people, but they cannot do their jobs if they are belittled and dismissed by their own employers.”
In April, NSW Health settled a class action brought by junior doctors for almost $230m, claiming to have been underpaid in relation to issues such as overtime and meal breaks. Experts hoped the suit would change a culture where junior doctors do not complain and instead can protect time off for their personal lives.