Romanian doctors confront staffing crisis after resident death highlights extreme shift conditions

A resident physician in his fifth year died at Bucharest’s Floreasca Emergency Hospital during a night shift, reportedly from a self‑administered overdose. He left behind two young children, and his death brings the national tally of doctors who have died while on duty or shortly after to 46, underscoring the harsh working conditions faced by medical staff.

The tragedy fuels a wider public debate sparked earlier by Ilie Bolojan’s call for a compulsory 2‑to‑5‑year service period for all newly‑graduated doctors in Romania. With only about 1,000 of the 7,000 annual medical graduates remaining in the country, most seek better salaries, working environments and training abroad, creating a severe doctor shortage in both hospitals and rural areas.