GARGANTUAN steps
Sunday, September 18, 2011
summer of 2011
This has been one of my busiest summers in recent years. It also makes it my last ever summer 'holidays' since in less than year's time, I will be gainfully employed and officially a full-fledged adult. The route taken has been rather convoluted, but it's finally near the end. Still, lots of things to consider in the months to come, mainly, the application for the residency program and the choice of a speciality for a future career. My personal opinion - 18 years old, too young to make a decision to make medicine as a career; final-year medical student, too young to make a decision to choose a speciality for a future career. Yet there is quite an overwhelming pressure to make such a decision now, though circumstances aren't quite in favour of the overseas graduate. Interviews done in October (in Singapore) when we're back in London continuing with our final year of undergraduate studies; the residency program possibly commencing in May or June when we have yet to finish our exams and the all too non-committal replies of the program directors with regards to this issue; and lastly, how long will it take for us overseas graduates to fit into the system? Meanwhile, I'm just taking things one step at a time and deal with each situation as they come along. My main focus is still to pass and do well for this year, all other matters are lower down the priority list. Important, but unnecessary worries, since those technically can wait.
Meanwhile, yes, my summer! It ends in less than a week's time and I'll be back to gloomy London come this Sunday. Summer started with a bang with a weekend to Kuala Lumpur and then to Kuching for a few days. The core of summer was my elective attachments to the National Skin Centre and Singapore General Hospital. It was four weeks of Dermatology before the fun began with Emergency Medicine. If Dermatology appealed with a seductive, relaxing lifestyle, then Emergency Medicine appealed with raw adrenaline and a sheer sense of purpose and achievement. Both were interesting in their own rights, but the thought of seeing an endless stream of acne cases as a career definitely doesn't appeal to me. I'm not insinuating that acne isn't a medical problem, but certainly some of these 'acne' cases are more psychiatric than dermatologic in nature. There were the odd interesting cases, like the case of xeroderma pigmentosum, or the fun I had sitting in clinics at DSC Kelantan Road. One gets to ask extremely personal questions and hear lots of juicy stories, if you get what I mean. I had good consultants to thank for at NSC, in particular, Dr Pan JY and Dr Martin Chio, and as a result, I didn't feel too out of place as an overseas undergraduate. I am extremely grateful to them. I too learned (from one of the consultants), that Angry Birds is a teacher of the principles of Physics. I was sold.
If there is one speciality that can be described as fun, it has got to be Emergency Medicine. Every patient new, unblemished, something to investigate, bloods to take, different diagnoses to decipher. The patient ranges from one with the minor ankle pain to the collapsed, to the pulseless patient whom you do your best to resuscitate. Every life saved a major pat on the back, each one lost a vow to do better for future endeavors. It is a highly enticing speciality, admittedly, but a lifestyle where night fuses into day which then merges into night doesn't suit one who's highly dominated by a circadian rhythm. I would like to thank Dr Jeremy Wee and Dr Lim CS for their tutorship and friendship, as well as Dr Annie Combate too! I've never attacked an overnight shift with such verve in a long time, and to go back for seconds after that. All in all, it was a wonderful experience doing my electives in Singapore. Intellectually challenging, medically invigorating and extremely purposeful. And I've learnt a bit more about home as a result.
If my electives were dominated my weekdays, then my weekends were dominated by Weekend Warriors and our fight to climb up the Floorball Championship (Division 1) table. Grateful to the team for the acceptance of me into the squad and the opportunity to play together with them. Appreciative of the friendship and camaraderie shared together. Hopeful of what the future might hold for this team I've come to enjoy playing with and fighting together with! Thanks especially to Hocks, captain fantastic, friend extraordinaire, and long may Gocks continue. Good luck to the team for the rest of the league - just two more matches, and hopefully the prize will be worth the fight! It's been my honour and my pleasure. I end my maiden season with two goals, two assists, and four penalty minutes. I am already looking forward to next season!
Weekend Warriors 2011
Back row (left to right) - Rudy, Me, Ivan, Kenny, Hanson, Sergej, Derrick, Andreas, Jame
Middle row - Hocks, Alastaire, Harun, Irshad, Najib, Melvin
Front row - Johannes, Martin
Our celebratory move, courtesy of Alastaire (who still denies this signature move of his)
Back row (left to right) - Hon Lyn, Andreas, Sergej, Rudy, Alastaire, Kenny, Hanson, Varun, Martin
Front row - Ivan, Ben, Me, Hocks, Mark
Katie, Thomas and me
Meanwhile, yes, my summer! It ends in less than a week's time and I'll be back to gloomy London come this Sunday. Summer started with a bang with a weekend to Kuala Lumpur and then to Kuching for a few days. The core of summer was my elective attachments to the National Skin Centre and Singapore General Hospital. It was four weeks of Dermatology before the fun began with Emergency Medicine. If Dermatology appealed with a seductive, relaxing lifestyle, then Emergency Medicine appealed with raw adrenaline and a sheer sense of purpose and achievement. Both were interesting in their own rights, but the thought of seeing an endless stream of acne cases as a career definitely doesn't appeal to me. I'm not insinuating that acne isn't a medical problem, but certainly some of these 'acne' cases are more psychiatric than dermatologic in nature. There were the odd interesting cases, like the case of xeroderma pigmentosum, or the fun I had sitting in clinics at DSC Kelantan Road. One gets to ask extremely personal questions and hear lots of juicy stories, if you get what I mean. I had good consultants to thank for at NSC, in particular, Dr Pan JY and Dr Martin Chio, and as a result, I didn't feel too out of place as an overseas undergraduate. I am extremely grateful to them. I too learned (from one of the consultants), that Angry Birds is a teacher of the principles of Physics. I was sold.
If there is one speciality that can be described as fun, it has got to be Emergency Medicine. Every patient new, unblemished, something to investigate, bloods to take, different diagnoses to decipher. The patient ranges from one with the minor ankle pain to the collapsed, to the pulseless patient whom you do your best to resuscitate. Every life saved a major pat on the back, each one lost a vow to do better for future endeavors. It is a highly enticing speciality, admittedly, but a lifestyle where night fuses into day which then merges into night doesn't suit one who's highly dominated by a circadian rhythm. I would like to thank Dr Jeremy Wee and Dr Lim CS for their tutorship and friendship, as well as Dr Annie Combate too! I've never attacked an overnight shift with such verve in a long time, and to go back for seconds after that. All in all, it was a wonderful experience doing my electives in Singapore. Intellectually challenging, medically invigorating and extremely purposeful. And I've learnt a bit more about home as a result.
If my electives were dominated my weekdays, then my weekends were dominated by Weekend Warriors and our fight to climb up the Floorball Championship (Division 1) table. Grateful to the team for the acceptance of me into the squad and the opportunity to play together with them. Appreciative of the friendship and camaraderie shared together. Hopeful of what the future might hold for this team I've come to enjoy playing with and fighting together with! Thanks especially to Hocks, captain fantastic, friend extraordinaire, and long may Gocks continue. Good luck to the team for the rest of the league - just two more matches, and hopefully the prize will be worth the fight! It's been my honour and my pleasure. I end my maiden season with two goals, two assists, and four penalty minutes. I am already looking forward to next season!
Weekend Warriors 2011
Back row (left to right) - Rudy, Me, Ivan, Kenny, Hanson, Sergej, Derrick, Andreas, Jame
Middle row - Hocks, Alastaire, Harun, Irshad, Najib, Melvin
Front row - Johannes, Martin
Our celebratory move, courtesy of Alastaire (who still denies this signature move of his)
Back row (left to right) - Hon Lyn, Andreas, Sergej, Rudy, Alastaire, Kenny, Hanson, Varun, Martin
Front row - Ivan, Ben, Me, Hocks, Mark
Meanwhile, welcome to Singapore, Katie and Thomas, my mates from London, who were part of my firm doing our rotations in London. It was nice to catch up with you guys here, and hope for more meet-ups back in London!
Katie, Thomas and me
It's back to London for me this Sunday, and I can finally count down, in months, to the end of my medical degree (as oppose to counting in years)! To my friends who approach PACES resits on Friday with fear and trepidation, I wish you all the best and hope to see you on the other side come Monday! Another year ahead, full steam ahead.
