Live from Pasir Gudang

Today is day 7 I have been 'quarantined' at Pasir Gudang. Thanks God I have a night free for me to 'slip out' and blog. For the past 7 days, I was spending almost 24 hours a day in the place where I had my induction course, Hotel Selesa, Pasir Gudang. My life was all about food, sit and sleep. The hotel was fastatic. I really felt like 'holiday' here. Well, not really lah..I was having lecture, individual task, and group discussion every day (sometimes it could drag until midnight). For every alternate day, I woke up early in the morning, 6.30AM for exercise & played games in the evening. We ate buffet food that served by the hotel every day. The hotel served mainly malay food. The food was good. There were abundant of food served in the hotel. "Food, food, food.." It was just everywhere. Haha..

Well, I did not come to Pasir Gudang for holiday. I will spend 2 weeks there for my induction course and BTN camp at Ulu Sepri, Rembau before I start working as a houseman. Oh ya, I got my posting already. I got my 2nd choice and was posted to Malacca Hospital. I will report to work after my BTN camp. Pretty fast right, cannot imagine how is my life there in Malacca...Now, I feel abeit anxious, curious, scared...juz a mixture of feeling! I'm not sure whether I can cope well with new environment. Everything just back to the beginning. New life, new challenge and new goal....

I should talk more about my induction course. Basically, from year 2008 onwards, all the housemen have to attend the course and the BTN camp before they started working. All the lectures are about government system, policies etc and life as a houseman. I have lecture from day to night. Can u imagine how is my life? U can only know if u experience it. Really 'boring' lah...can feel that my brain isnt functioning well. Ya, the air-con in the hall really make me feel sick. There is respiratory infection endemic in my group. I hope that I can stay well and healty. What should I do? Eat more vegetables and fruits, exercise (this one is lacking as I'm lazy) and last stress free loh. The last one is abeit hard to achieve. I have essay and presentation to do. At the end of the course, there are objective and subjective exam questions waiting for me..aiyo really headache lah..The syllabus is tough as I only have 2 weeks to learn all the things. No matter what..just try my best!!

Ok ok..that's all! All the best for me. Really miss my family, batchmates at malacca and frens that I havnt meet for a long time. Miss u all!

Promise

These were the declaration by imu MBBS graduands during the oath taking ceremonay. I personally found these words were meaningful!! It would be my guidance as a doctor. I hoped that I kept my promises and served the society with all I could.

Now that I am about to enter the noble profession of medicine,

I solemnly commit myself to observing its highest standards and traditions

In caring for patients and in the pursuit of scientific knowledge,

I shall at all times act in ways that show respect for human life and dignity.

I shall always and only use my medical skill and knowledge for the good humanity,

in healing the sick and injured, in preventing ill-health, in relieving pain and distress,

in overcoming disability, in preventing untimely death

and in caring for the comfort and well-being of those who are at the end of their lives.

I shall seek always to deserve the trust of patients.

To this end I shall be truthful in my dealings with them, defend their interests,

show due regard for their wishes, preserve the secrets which they confide in me as their doctor,

as far as my duty to society as a whole will permit, and act fairly between one patient and another

I shall respect patients' values, beliefs and traditions, especially where they differ from my own

I shall never abuse in any way the trust placed in me as a doctor

I shall seek constantly to improve my medical knowledge and skills,

and to share these with my colleagues and students, in order that we may serve our patients better

I shall carry out my professional duties, including teaching and research,

with honesty and integrity.

In this and other ways I shall treat my colleagues in the profession and related professions

with respect and cooperate with them for the good of patients

And, by an honorable life in the eyes of God, and in the service of humanity,

I shall bring credit to this University and those who have taught me

Finally, finally..

28 February 2008

Today was an important moment for my batch. The final semester exam's result would be out today. We're asked to be at imu around 9AM. However, I only left home around 1030AM. I just too scared. Exam was cruel. I just had some bad feeling that not everyone of us could make it. I just hoped that it wasnt true. 'Is it me? ' I dun know. I just couldnt take it anymore. I knew that the result wont be out on time. As usual, the exam board would start to have meeting at that time. They were the one who decided who passed or failed. I could feel my heart beating and my hands sweating. My mind was in a mess. I did not know whether I could do it. I drove slowly, 70km/hour. It took me 1 hour to reach seremban. I got my result slip from someone (u knew whose the one, quite embarrased to tell why this happened..haha :P).

The deaneary and faculty are pleased to inform

that u have passed the semester 10 examination

Yeh! I passed. I was so excited. I congratulated and hugged whoever I met. I called my parents and told them about it. Years and years...finally I am a doctor now. Thanks my the family, lecturers, housemates, batchmates..etc for all the supports. All the effort, hard work, challenges and failure along the way...It really meaned nothing. It was never easy but i had overcome all these. Yeh!!

My heart sinked when I knew that not everyone made it. Exam systems in imu really sucked!!! Luck was always an issue. U could get common long case or rare diseases that u never encountered throughout ur life. For those who could not make it, I understood what u're going through. Always believe yourself, u're the best!!!!!!

Now, I have around 2 months holiday before housemanship starts. I have not been for holiday for a long time. At this point of view, I just want to rest, rest and rest....

Me? Future radiologist?

I did a medical specialty aptitude test 2 days ago from this URL http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/. I was quite surprised with the result. Totally unbelievable!!! According to this test, radiology, preventive medicine, pathology adn nuclear medicine were the most suitable medical specialties for me. Hmm..until now, I still had problem reading chest plain radiograph, CT etc. I never understood pathology since phase 1. Well, totally had no idea why preventive medicine and nuclear medicine were one of the top 4. Haha...seemed like my potential was not yet fully establised. I loved orthopaedics, surgery and delivered babies. These 3 specialties were at top 10. However, what was true that dermatology and opthalmology were not my cup of tea. I always screwed up with internal medicine. And the ranking all these 3 specialties were almost the bottom.

Specialty & Score

1. radiology 49
2 preventive med 48
3 pathology 48
4 nuclear med 48
5 obstetrics/gynecology 47
6 general surgery 46
7 physical med & rehabilitation 46
8 orthopaedic surgery 45
9 occupational med 45
10 urology 45
11 neurosurgery 45
12 neurology 44
13 pulmonology 44
14 nephrology 44
15 colon & rectal surgery 44
16 anesthesiology 44
17 allergy & immunology 44
18 thoracic surgery 44
19 aerospace med 44
20 plastic surgery 43
21 pediatrics 43
22 otolaryngology 43
23 cardiology 43
24 infectious disease 43
25 emergency med 43
26 med oncology 42
27 rheumatology 42
28 radiation oncology 42
29 psychiatry 42
30 endocrinology 41
31 family practice 41
32 hematology 41
33 dermatology 41
34 ophthalmology 40
35 gastroenterology 39
36 general internal med 37

Perhaps after 10 years..i will like to prove how accurate is this test!!!!! ^_^

2+3 Compulsory Service...

Move to make sure all doctors have required skills

By AUDREY EDWARDS

PUTRAJAYA: Newly-qualified doctors will have to undergo two years' compulsory housemanship from next year.

Currently, they only have to do a year of housemanship.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who announced the Cabinet decision yesterday, said the move was considered important to increase the knowledge, skills and experience of graduate medical officers.

“This will improve the quality of services and healthcare standards,” he said.

A rotation system of four months in six departments will be implemented. With the newest inclusion being the accident and emergency department, the rest are medical, paediatric, general surgery, orthopaedic, obstetrics and gynaecology.

“We have observed that in the past few years, about three to five per cent of graduate medical officers do not get full registration because they have weaknesses in knowledge or skills,” he told reporters before chairing his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting.

“We cannot let this continue. We hope the move is seen as a positive one by future graduates and we are confident the rakyat (people) will support us.”

After the two-year housemanship, the doctors would have to serve their three years' compulsory service with the Government or its agencies, he said.

Dr Chua said the ministry would apply to the Government to place them under the U43 grade upon completing the two years' housemanship compared to the current U41. The U43 pay scale is RM500 more than U41.

He said the doctors would be able to pursue their specialist courses or Master’s after serving two years' compulsory service compared to the current situation whereby they can only apply to further their studies after three years.

About 1,200 local medical students graduate annually.

From: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/22/nation/19545463&sec=nation&focus=1