Two doctors reprimanded by college for 'abusive' emails to former OMA president

Toronto - Two Ontario doctors have been formally reprimanded for sending "abusive" emails to the former head of the Ontario Medical Association.The Toronto Star reported that both Dr. Troy Christie Drone, a Kitchener anesthesiologist, and Dr. Michael Tjandrawidjaja, a Brampton cardiologist, were ordered to pay $6,000 each to cover the college's legal costs.Dr. Drone was also suspended for one month.Both doctors sent offensive emails to former OMA president Dr. Virginia Walley during a period of intense infighting and online bullying among the profession two years ago. In both cases, the physicians said they sent the emails because they were angry about a tentative contract that the OMA—led by Dr. Walley—had reached with the province's ministry of health.In one email, Dr. Tjandrawidjaja sent an email to Dr. Walley saying: "You are a turd."The independent disciplinary panel also heard that he sent another email reading: "Virginia, How much are the liberals bribing you? It will likely come out at some point.”According to the Star, the prosecutor in the case described his words as "childish" and "disrespectful."Dr. Drone's emails had made headlines before, several of which were profanity laced. In one he wrote, "Dr. Walley, you are a c---. Crash and burn as you deserve to do!! ... Sincerely, F--- YOU and the OMA!!!" Dr. Drone send seven emails in total, that were presented to the disciplinary panel, including three that were received within minutes of each other telling Dr. Walley repeatedly to "F--- off."According to the Star, the college prosecutor was especially indignant about Dr. Drone's use of the "c---."“To insult a woman by calling her names based on female genitalia is hateful and demeaning. And as a physician to use this word to describe the head of his professional organization is deserving of an especially strong censure.”When delivering the reprimand, Dr. Pierre Giroux, speaking on behalf of the panel, found that the “abusive, bullying tone and sexual connotation” of the emails had brought the profession into disrepute and undermined the public’s trust.“Either you were ignorant or wilfully blind about the way you should have interacted," he said, according to the Star.For both Dr. Drone and Dr. Tjandrawidjaja, the college withdrew charges of engaging in conduct unbecoming of physicians after both admitted to professional misconduct on their own accord.According to the Star, both also expressed regret for their actions and either apologized or expressed a desire to apologize to Dr. Walley.

Two doctors reprimanded by college for 'abusive' emails to former OMA president

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