How clinical postings done during COVID19 season

 Assalamualaikum & helloo

I feel like the need to write this because one day I will look back and say, hey I once undergo this. So okay, we have been online classes for theory since June (or May? I cant remember) to July at home (actual home). Then,we are required to come back to our university college 2 weeks earlier before our clinical postings start especially to those who lived in West and Sabah (since our univ is UNIMAS).

So for clinical, we received from Unimas, surgical masks (bertali okay), face shield, apron, gloves. So we need to wear masks all the time, obviously. And wear our face shield and apron especially in gp clinic. My rotation didnt required to go to hospital yet, but from what I heard, students are limited to 5 students to be in ward. And we even have schedule to enter the ward. 

The actual clinical experience was lessen tbh but it didnt deprived our clerking and doing physical examinations that bad. We still did it but not as much as before COVID season

                                                 

Ortholongla saya

Assalamualaikum & hello,

Day by day, posts written here will be more depressing and depressing. Currently, I am in ortho posting, just finished multiple one after another short postings. And just about things getting heat up, yesterday came out news that young doctors won't be getting extra allowance anymore. What did the gov think, really?

Sometimes, you just wonder what am I doing right now? Am I losing my passion? I can't get myself to study and I had to force myself to go to the wards because I had to bcs it was made compulsory. 

But, ortho is one of posting that I shouldnt be kidding with. It is not something that I could play around and put it into last minute studying the whole thing. Worst come to worse, I have to push myself to study regardless how lazy, no mood to study at all. 

Maybe this is what we call jihad, isnt it?

Hopefully, our days and future become better

Motivation quote

Assalamualaikum & hello,

So.. amidst the doctor situation right now, that doctors are facing difficulty in secuing job in future, I would like to share the quotes to motivate myself more in studying medicine:

Medicine is a science of uncertainty and art of probability.

Every patient you see is a lesson much more than the malady from which he suffers.

The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work superbly well.

Listen to your patient, he is telling you the diagnosis.

The good physician treats the disease; The great physician treats the patient who has the disease.

We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.

Too many men slip early out of the habit of studious reading, and yet that is essential.

One of the first duties of the physician is to educate masses not to take medicine.

The practice of medicine is ant art. Not a trade; A calling, Not a business: 

A calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.

Happiness lies in the absorption is some vocation which satisfies the soul.

To have striven, to have made effort. To have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle.

Acquire the art of detachment, the virtue method and the quality of thoroughness but above all the grace of humanity. 

- WILLIAM OSLER -

Losing sight

Assalamualaikum

Yesterday was our Independence day, the day where my seniors truly enjoy independence from medical school. My 2 closest seniors will embark days waiting for HO and going through HO itself. 

These days, I question do I really wanted to do medicine? As if I knew what do other than medicine. There's no doubt that I am the one who choose this journey and even fight for it towards my end of asasi, but now, I really really feel lost. Not even the word 'lost' can describe. It's like, I'm out of love towards my crush who never really notices me. But then again, not like I work hard for it.

Probably the reason why I am out of love because I don't work for it that hard? I dont know, it is very blurry. Probably these feelings will help me figure out if someone decided to quit medical school. Even if it is my long wanted dream who would have ever thought I become this lost?

So, today, I think, I still have a lot of abilities, but most of the time, I let my abilities hid away. In any way, it doesn't in slightest bit help me for my own growth and development. I shouldve been more braver and putting myself out for a mistake that can actually help me grow and become better. 

No more chicken out, and I will continue this journey passionately 

And as for the intro saying 2 of my seniors will be graduating, that itself means, I am slowly losing my support system and I have to function on my own next time. I am sure Allah knows that I am ready for this... And with that, I should be brave right?

Rock bottom will teach you lessons that mountain tops never will

The title tell it all
Keep working hard to become a good doctor

Year 3 Medicine Posting

You know you will struggle a lot if you get Medicine or Surgery as your first posting, they say.

Assalamualaikum everyone!

Right now, I am just starting my miraculously given 1 week of semester break. And it is our first time in our course to be given such privilege. But of course, I did not bother to think to fly back home because Medicine requires a lot of revision and practice. Revision can be done at home but practice on patients? I still need to go to hospital for that. 

A lot of people asked me, how was Medicine posting was like?

I tell you plainly, it was abundant. A lot to catch up. Physical examinations that we need to master for 4 major system were CVS, CNS, Respiratory and Abdominal. But we also have to know how to perform PE like Rheumatology (joints), Endocrinology (Thyroid, Acromegaly etc). And that worries me. Because I am today years old, I realized that my practical side is not as good as my theoretical side. 

One of a Dr said, "Who asked you to take medic? You are the ones who made the pack with the devils." He did mentioned the importance of doing revision. I personally agree to this, but I can't really make myself study 6 hours everyday. That's just wow. Maximum for me was 4 hours a day (not days near exam week. A day before exam I might have able to suck it up and maintain my momentum.

It was my first posting and it was the hardest one.

They say, the highest 'failing' rate posting among all.

InsyaAllah, we can do this

I can't really say that I hate this posting. Because I learnt a lot. Medicine is like basically everything that requires treatment in term of usage of medications excluding surgery stuffs and obstetrics and gynecology stuffs. 

In this internal medicine posting, we are required to fill our logbook to observe procedures, present long case or short case during bed side teaching (BST) and be on-call for 3 hours in Emergency and Trauma department (ETD). Whenever I am in ETD, I feel so worthless I don't know why. Like I am not some sort of competence. After my oncall, usually I feel like I am worthless, probably because in ETD sometimes Dr expected we know to perform certain procedure. Remember when I told you guys my practical side ain't good? I still cannot perform ECG on my own. My friends all can do it confidently.

 

In this year 3, I kept thinking Why am I here? what are my other interests in life as if I want to change my path. But I to be honest, only interested in medical field. 

I found a video from sis Aida Azlin that related to my feelings; 

I remembered, after my asasi ended, I went back to my high school which I always miss dearly, and there was my Math teacher who told me this after she had known what course that I took. "Bukan calang-calang orang Allah pilih untuk ambil medic. Mesti ada something pada awak yang Allah nampak, yang awak sesuai untuk course itu." She continued by saying like some people afraid of blood and etc which might interfere with the nature of work that a doctor requires. 

Sometimes I envied some of my friends who already dropped out from medical school even before entering clinical years. They are so lucky they had figured it out that they do not suit with this kind of work. But then again, like I said. My interests are none other than medicine for now. Had to say for now because we don't know what might happen in future, so just in case I type it down hekhek. 

Other than that, clinical years require a lot of communication skills. That also, one of other things that I need to polish. Andddd we need to present a lot, on the spot. With the right words to say, with medical term in front of lecturers but in front of my patients, we need to ask in layman term, do not include any medical jargon. 

Please pray for me and my classmates to pass this posting,

May Allah bless you ;)

If I had the mood, I might post about my end of posting exam. 

Typed by:

Year 3 still learning Unimas Medical student. 

End of Pre-Clinical Years (Year 1 & 2) UNIMAS

Assalamualaikum and helloos,

       Amboi seketul, for this so late post entry.

Clinical years will begin for me the next few days. And we have orientation for that. I am amazed how we still got orientation even to start clinical years, I hope I can stay focus during orientation though, hehe

So, we will talk more on clinical years in my future posts. Right now, we gonna talk on our pre-clinical years mainly year 2 since I had wrote about year 1 in my previous post here. 

With our beloved pathologists

Year 2

Actually before starting year 2, I am quite nervous because year 2, not only you have to focus on professional exam (exam that includes stuff that you learn in year 1 and 2) but you also have to finish your research. For research though, I am utterly thankful that my lecturers (supervisors and co-supervisors) were super helpful and taught us a lot. I kinda regret only getting B+ for research though, I mean I am happy but I feel as though it is not appropiate to present such marks to our supervisors...

(Can Dm me through twitter : @aisyahxyz if you want to ask my recommendations for getting supervisors, okay?)

Okay about research, theres that.

Research mates and supervisors

For professional exam, Alhamdulillah I passed it in one go. Thank you for my parents, family and friends for your kind doa. And Alhamdulillah, my classmates, our batch - all did pass professional exam and supplement exam, and they said that our batch is the only batch that had all passing students. 

My advice for professional exam, know your level of understanding for each block. Know what you dont know. Better to start early if you recognize that you had low understanding for certain blocks. Mine specifically is block 6. So I kinda start block 6 earlier, and focus on things that I dont understand. If you want detail advices, ask away your seniors, it is better to not only ask seniors that pass in one go, but also ask seniors that had to go through viva and supplement exam. 

You will realised how different in way they are giving advices. I did ask my senior who went through supplement exam, and she said that I shouldn't be too relax about it, to start worry about it and start studying (I am more to a relax kind of nature) so these kind of advices did influence me to study. 

So these are my kind of which blocks that I find:

• Hard : Block 6 
• Favourite : Block 2 and block 8 
• Score the most: Block 5 and block 8
• I wish I kind take it again: Block 3 and Block 8
• I wish it ends faster : Block 6
• Subjects that I love: Physiology and biochem (although I always forget biochem)

1st Row : Block 1 to 5

2nd Row : Block 6 to 9

I am mix learning style kind of person. I can learn through laptop / mobile so most of my lecture notes I did not print it (except for block 1 and 2 #masihnoob) and for other blocks, I just print difficult lectures. Because graphic is better if I learn through phone and I can zoom whatever I want. Shout out to classmates for coming up with google drive idea for our class where we share all the lecture notes. 

Actually I want to give full advice on how to pass prof exam, but I am kinda lazy + I think not everybody study the same way like I do. Also who am I to give study tips cause I am just an average student in my class. Along year 1 and year 2, I never encountered any A for my End Of Block (EOB) exam but it was fine, I get to do other stuff as well. To get an A for me, I think I have to work extra hard to extent I have to just study study study. I can't do that ahaha

For books, books that I love is:

• Guyton's (Physiology)
• Stuart Ira Fox (Physiology) - Mostly I used in block 5
• Lippincott (Pharmacology)
• Robbins (Pathology)

These are the lists that I used the most. I kinda regret buying Lange books as I dont understand it (difficult English words for me). For Guyton, I don't really want to buy RM200+ kind of books so what I did was I borrowed from Cais Medic and renew it everytime using online (Cais One Search) which can be used to renew three times and sometimes I had to carry the books back to faculty to renew it because that's the rule uhuhu. So you can use this way or some of my friends sneaked out the books which I don't recommend doing it. Do the hard way guys.

Mainly for pre-clinical years, most of your life is balancing your medical classes, generic classes, elective classes and stuff like research and family health visits. For elective classes, I kinda recommend you guys to take language faculty courses as these courses - though they may have a lot of assessments (oral, writing exam - just simple kinda way) but they dont have much workloads. I took Arabic Level 1 class and French Level 1 class and we didn't have to do video or heavy assignments. I also took Medical Fiqh from my own faculty (also recommended), it's like dengar ceramah, also have practicals, less assessments but more assignment (do video and kinda heavy assignment). It's not heavy like a burden but yeah you know my English very low one ahaha. 

Family health was okay, I am very thankful to my foster family and my foster siblings. I want to show photos of them but I want to respect my foster family in case they hate it if I share it through blogs. Cause blogs are different, once you post, there are chances that the pictures can be find through google search, so yeah.

Side story, I also participated in sports tournaments during this year which were MIVG and medical sport tournament within our faculty. 

Other pictures: 

Kolej Rafflesia, though people always associate this college with buaya but nah I haven't seen one in this college till this day.

I will say, I love year 2 one of it because of this college. My prayers come true when I want a single room ahaha. Staying single in double room yeass 100%.

But staying in this college makes you depend on transportation a lot.

My close circle of friends: 

Junior mates

PBL mates

Housemates

I love how people always come to my house because they find my housemates very friendly.

Anak solehah mates

Usrah mates

Classmates

InsyaAllah, let's work hard for clinical years guys.

If you were to ask me, 

"Year 1 or year 2?"

I would say year 2, though it was much busier year kihkih.

Vanilla Ice Cream | @After four

Laksa Sarawak | @Mom's Laksa

Foods that I always crave ahaha

Till then,
Hope I write more in clinical years ya ahaha

Just finished First Prof exam - waiting for result!

Assalamualaikum and hello,

        10 minutes before the last paper ends, there I sat at my table, glancing at the clock while checking back my papers for any mistakes. And I stopped for awhile,

Here I am finishing the exam for which I had been anxious a year ago. I couldn't believe I did go through that. So yeah, examination finished but the result aint coming out yet. Lots lots of voices had been roaring on how they are worried and begging to pass the exam. I just smiled and I did not really and can't respond much. Probably all I can say is, leave up to Him, tawakkal and doa...

        I watched a movie tonight called Love 119, thought you know I can somehow watch something different. But it turns out that this movie is not just a love story about a woman and a firefighter. But the woman is also a doctor. And it made me thinking, 5 years from now, what kind of person I would be?

She did a mistake. She didnt do the investigation thoroughly and eventually the patient had brain dead. And you know in medical field, (from what I heard) though it is very mannerful to say sorry and admit that it was our mistakes, but in medical settings, if a doctor said that, he or she can be sued by the family. 

I thought deeply and

through out this journey, few of my classmates had left already. It is not a battle among ourselves, we dont mind who's more smarter, we just think about how we can pass. But it is a battle within ourself. Whether we can really do it and go until the end.

Even after all that,

Life can take you in unexpected journey, though the journey may be different from others, but if you find the journey beautiful then you can sit back and relax, and enjoy the ride. 

For whatever outcomes tomorrow will come, know that Allah has special plan for us. After all, passing is not the real aim, but to be a good doctor is. 

Few days more to First Prof Exam!

Assalamualaikum and hi guys,

          So, we just received our block 9 results last Friday and Alhamdulillah all of us in the class managed to proceed to First Prof Exam!

Though there are few days left, I felt like my energy is draining. Probably this happens a lot if I am someone who are not used to studying consistently everyday. My spirits are just like those peribahasa Melayu, "hangat-hangat taik ayam." I had to collect back my spirits, remembered back how much I am lacking in knowledge and how much I actually want to pass this!

Even so, 

Yesterday my friend did said, our year 3 students some of them will be repeating. I am telling you that repeating year in medicine is not something to be ashamed of. But it got me thinking, even if we pass this proffesional exam, we just passed one of many hurdles in front. Like there are so many challenges will begin after year 2, especially in clinical years.

Thus, this reminds me that medicine is a continuous journey, continuous learning. Once you stop learning even when you become a doctor, a doctor in you just died. Even after prof exam, dear me, even if it is hard, pick up the book and read. Associate with clinical learning. I know this will be hard for me as even for now, that we are facing prof exam, I still make time *no make time but waste time to watch tv shows in youtube. *sigh*

For year 1 Junior, you might never found this blog, but try to make most of your year 1 holiday. Try to studyla a bit pun okay ahaha. 

Dr Dayang said after prof exam holiday lah, bila lagi nak pergi? Hurm, yeah true but whenever I think about meeting a real patient and like some senior doctor will be asking me questions randomly from anatomy suddenly to pharmacology, I freaked out and made me wanna download medical knowledge into my brain system immediately. 

Sign off for now,

Let's start studying shall we?

We all longed to be the best

Assalamualaikum & hello

I know sometimes I would want to start an entry right away without proper salutations, but because I think it is the most appropriate way, so yeah. 

       I found an interesting twitter's thread today that spoke about how we used to be called smart before but now, people didn't bother to call us that anymore. Then, it got me thinking, among my classmates, they must have been the top students in their former school, but now that educational level had changed, and things got harder, naturally you have to work harder in order to make it to the top. 

My view is that, we shouldn't be competing among our classmates anymore. That kind of thinking will just hinder my progress really. What's important is, you be the best not for your friends but for your future patient. You become the better than the old you. Be in term of knowledge as well as attitude. The one that you competing is yourself. I want be a better me. 

To be honest, 

Sometimes, I too wanted to be the best. We all have that competitive instinct in ourselves. But slowly, as I progress in medical school, I think the one that I need to beat is my old self. Lazy, bad attitude, procrastinating self. 

Professional exam is just around the corner. 

I would not be ashamed that if I put in percentage, how much I prepared for PFE, I would say 30% or maybe lower than that. I don't understand why I didn't seem to care to increase the percentage either? 

I think my last paragraph really contradicts the point that I am trying to prove above ahaha. 

I read Dr Amalina's tweets sometimes, and I think, if you really want to be successful, you got to have high discipline in a lot of things. You should be able to cease your cravings to watch movies all the time, or drama or nonsense youtube videos. Being able to control that, and being the best disciplined state of mind can really turn yourself into someone successful.

Having a study partner / friends helped you in the study mood faster.

Now that I am alone in this house, trying to study; 

is hard. 

Falling out from medical fields

Assalamualaikum & hello

         So, there will be less than 4 months from now to my first professional exam. But I still think that my time management sucks a lot. Ok, put that aside. I stumbled upon an interesting post this evening, it's about a man, graduated from MRSM Taiping, you know MRSM students - most of them are high achievers including him. He got straight A's with a good pointer and furthered his studies in medicine in Russia.

He began to expand his stories telling that, all his life being a top achiever and during his medical school years, he was an average, sometimes he was the last student in his class. During a long break, he would be planning trips with his international friends. He told that he graduated with blue diplome (Russian thing I guess for average student) and he saw his friends getting red diplome (distinction). When it was time to return to Malaysia, he said that he could cope most of the housemanship's stress better compared to most of his red diplome friends. 

What's interesting about his stories are, 

He ended not being a doctor to this day.

He started to sell insurance instead and travels around the world.

You know, sometimes, I do think. Am I that enthusiastic enough to become a doctor? Why I didn't find studying as interesting as before? I don't know where my motivations have left me behind, but I'm quite sad. I don't care if I don't get good grades but please, enjoying things that we are doing are more important.

So, if one day, 

perhaps one day, I graduated and not becoming a doctor?

What will happen to me?

Will I be happy?

If I become a doctor,

Will I be happy? 

Will I make them happy? 

Dr Chew telling us about Emergency department

Assalamualaikum,


So, I am still in my pre-clinical year, year 2 of medical school. I am currently still in on-going research about CPR. And my supervisor for my research group is Dr Chew, he is a consultant for A&E department.


We got curious on how A&E department work, why he chose that department.


He told us, that A&E is for someone who love fast work, short-attention span, and you don't have to think too much on the management of the patient. Mostly the cases that come to the A&E are trauma cases, cardiac arrests and overdose cases. The patient won't stay at the A&E ward for too long, they will get referred to the other specific department for their cases, that's why, you don't always have to follow up the patient on anything.


Sound nice.
But in reality, it doesn't always nice & simple.


Day by day, I hope my will become stronger. Hope I will get tougher. You, if you also still struggling, know that struggles never betray their owner. Eventually, it will lead to a beautiful ending; I hope.   

Finished Year 1 Unimas Medical School

Assalamualaikum & hello

So, Alhamdulillah, just finished year 1. Actually the passing result for year 1 is not out yet, so it's still not confirmed whether I passed year 1 or not. But put that aside, because I never know when will I ever be committed for this blog. I literally, forget the existence of this blog once in a while because I usually focus on my main blog because I have bigger audience there, but because I don't really feel like talking about boring medical stuff so I had to make a new blog for it. 

In Unimas, we use block system.

Block system is like you study one part of the human system and it will include the anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology (ubat), pathology (penyakit) part. So you learn all the subjects to understand 1 part of the human system for example endocrine system in block 5. Anything about endocrine will be learn in block 5. 

Other universities that I heard, they will finish the whole anatomy in one semester and proceed the next with pharmacology and so on.. So Unimas system is like you try to relate all the subjects into 1 block.

Here's some information regarding block system.

Duration           : 7 to 8 weeks

Credit hour       : 7 or 8 credit hours (that's a lot!)

Total mark for  : 100 (there is 5 blocks = 500 marks)

each block

Total mark to    : minimum 250/500 marks to pass

pass year 1

List of blocks for year 1 :

Block 1 : Foundation block

Some revisions on your biology knowledge and add ons few here and there. Basic knowledge and intro to incoming blocks. For me, I don't really like this block, felt a little boring for me. 

Block 2 : Man in the environment

Microbiology : virus, bacteria, hygiene. I like this block because there were a lot of bacteria involve hence, more lab! But I scored the least in this block even though I studied the hardest. Probably because I didn't found my study tempo yet.. cehh macam muzik lak.  

Block 3 : Blood and immunology

You get to poke each other and draw bloods! That's what I like about this block the most. I miss this block yet block 2 is still my favourite. I love Madam Tay as block coordinator because she is so caring and Prof Henry had thought us a lot in clinical lessons. 

Block 4 : Musculoskeletal & head and neck 

This is where you feel like, "Oh I am a medical student now" because you have to memorise the name of bones, nerves, muscle even to the smallest bones. Don't worry, repetition is the key. Go march to the museum frequently because visuals can help a lot. This block test memory the most, there I said it. 

Block 5 : Endocrine, metabolism and nutrition

Biochemistry will mess your life. More towards understanding and then you will remember it. Don't tell anybody, I actually love biochem especially when I understand them ahaha. 

Here are my found-able pictures of my year 1 in my phone.

Block 3 - mainly on blood

I learnt how to draw blood, IV infusion yada yada

We use dummy hands first then we tried on each other's hand ahaha

They say, when you donate your blood, you can save three life. Why? Because the blood that you donate will be separated into red blood cells, platelet and plasma. And usually there will be 3 different receiver for each separated blood components.

Just some notes I pasted on my wall

Yeah most of the pictures are from block 3. I didn't know why I don't really take photos in other blocks?

As for the lecturers, most lecturers are nice. Some lecturers (I can't mention just to make you feel curious) love to ask questions, love if you'd pay attention in class (yes I'd been caught talking in class ahaha & was punished for it) and so on.. 

Lecture hall and it was outside the faculty but it is just nearby

(credit pic)

other interesting things :

- You will have buddy (means, a senior/s that is/are assigned to help you)

- Medical students will get college even if you are never active in college

- Previously, medical course had the highest fee, worry not because architecture is now the most expensive course in Unimas (just to make u feel better)

Okay, I let you guys figure out the rest yourself okay.. ehehe

My fellow classmates for year 1 (2016/2017)

I hope we all passed to year 2, I really do...

We got 2 months of break after year 1 which had never happened before to my senior. I'm guessing that Unimas is trying to standardize to semester system. The 2 months should be the time we will be revising our year 1's material once again to prepare for our first professional exam in Year 2. But what am I doing? omg, endless procrastinating. 

I am grateful to Allah for He had granted to pursue my preferred course because not everyone were given the chance to taste of it. Yep, medic is hard, there's no doubt in it. But if they (the doctors right now) can do it, we can as well. 

Looking forward to the next 4 years. (I really hope it is another 4 years. Let's pray for everyone to graduate on time uhuhu)

Do you have what it takes to be a doctor?

Assalamualaikum & hello,

          Pretty much now, especially in this week, I read and heard a lot about "doctors are not made, they are chosen". Have you heard about it? I read articles about in facebook. Mostly about being a doctor you must sacrifice a lot of things to ensure your patients get the best treatment care. Sacrifice your sleep, your youth, time with family and the lists go on..

This evening, my PBL facilitator which is my Pathology lecturer told us, even in medical school we tried to make the students cope with their future job. So, there were less holidays in typical medical school settings and sometimes even if you have the holidays, you still required to study & do revisions. Nerdy right? 

So I always have this question popped in my head, especially when I see my peers can answer questions like diarrhea (quotes from the deen), "Am I gonna be a competent doctor?"

Throwback to my foundation years... 

There was one day, where all of the students we required to stay in the hall and we were exposed to the choices of degree courses in my university. Oh god, I can't stop reminiscing this story over and over again. So, at that time, the deen / vice deen (sorry I can't remember who) went on stage to promote about medical course which everyone was kinda wanting to hear about it.

He asked on the stage, "Whoever wanted to pursue in Medic, PLEASE STAND UP!"

You won't believe me if I say, almost everyone stands up (3/4 of the hall). Can you imagine why I stopped wanting to be a doctor for a while during foundation year? Cause the competition is real & fierce. 

So whenever I thought back about the story, I feel motivated because Allah has provide me the chance for me to be a medical student. And now, it's time for me to work hard to be a competent doctor. 

Do you have what it takes to be a doctor?
Yes or no, you gotta work for it!

Nak ambil medic tapi tak straight As SPM? Ini kata Dr Aimir Ma'rof!

Shared from his personal facebook

Kesinambungan daripada karangan saya mengenai SPM tempoh hari. (you can read here)

Ada yang memberi komen, perkara yang berlaku pada saya itu mustahil pada masa kini. Zaman dan senario sekarang sudah lain. Betul, memang saya setuju. Malah terbaca pula hari ini kenyataan Menteri Kesihatan bahawa kemungkinan tiada penempatan 'housemanship' diberi untuk lepasan universiti yang punya keputusan SPM tidak melepasi kelayakan minimum jurusan perubatan.

Now there goes my career. I should have been fired!

To a certain degree, yes I agree. If you enter bogus medical school through backdoor channel just because you or your parents want you to become a doctor but you have minimum entry qualification, your degree is questionable of course. But what if you work hard like everyone else through proper channel and in the process, who knows maybe you perform much better than your colleagues who previously have better SPM result than you? So to me, that is a kind of a knee jerk solution for a much bigger problem.

The process of 'creating' a doctor should not start after you receive the degree, but should start way back even before you choose to do medicine. I still believe that whether you can be successful as doctor or not is not entirely based on how much A you get in your SPM.

Being a doctor starts from inside your heart first. The head or brain will follow. So that is why I think ALL candidates who want to enter medical school should be interviewed, like a job application process. For example, if the students themselves not 100% interested, but being forced by parents, that should be the first reason to reject the application. I have spoken to some of my friends and you can also ask administration staff in private colleges, who is more excited to become a doctor? The candidates or the parents?

Interview (by a proper conjoined national medical body, not only the college/university) can let you gauge the attitude of the candidates, the passion to serve and most importantly the will to sacrifice and put others before oneself. That is what medical profession is about. And your number of As, or any paper qualification for that matter, cannot guarantee that!

You do that not after the degree is obtained. Not when they start dropping like fly during housemanship. You do this as early as before they even think of joining medical programme. Then maybe you can minimize the issue of demanding 8 hours of working and 6 hours of sleep!

Entah la, ini pendapat saya sahaja. As we all know, opinion is meaningless with no scientific basis and value at all. I know I am wasting my time writing all this. I should have write scientific papers instead.

So let me end with this.

Not all students can become a doctor.

Not all straight A students should become a doctor.

Not all NOT straight A students cannot become a doctor.

Because to repeat myself, I am the living proof of that!

My comment :

Way to go Dr! I hope I can meet a supportive MO like him one day and a good doctor as well, InsyaAllah ;)

TIPS along the way from medical student to specialist!

Assalamualaikum

Peace be upon you

       So, few days back Dr Mardiah who is a specialist and head department of O&G in Sarawak General Hospital came to give us talk and general tips about the whole thing being a doctor. It was very inspiring I would say because she graduated with MD from the university I'm currently in and she succesfully finished her master in O&G in UKM (which is my dream university to pursue for ophtalmology). Okay, personal dreams aside and let's go for it!

Tips for Medical student year 1 & 2

1. Be punctual
2. Make your own notes
3. Pay attention in class
4. Smart attire
5. Study smart
6. Take time to ventilate
7. Respect the lecturers

       She said, making your own notes is that you should not just depend on lecturer's note 100%. You should make notes based on reference books too. That's how you can remember and understand better. She stressed on how important for us to wear smart and neat attires because we will someday become a doctor, InsyaAllah and wearing smart attire can make a good impression on us. For future medical students, you better wear smart attires during interview ya!

She told us to allocate one day to relax. Lecturers need to be respected and don't attempt to be someone who talks back. 

Tips for Medical student year 3, 4 & 5 (Clinical years)

1. Don't become a bookworm
2. Watch, see & learn from real patient
3. Small study group
4. Smart attire
5. Good attitude & humble
6. Approach lecturers for extra teachings
7. Practice public speakings
8. Accept your own mistakes and learn from it
9. Do not give up

During these clinical years, most of the exams are oral exam. So she asked us to practiced public speaking and speaking English as we need to present a lot in front of the lecturers. She said that during these years, this was not the time to be a bookworm anymore. See real cases, real patients and communicate with them. She mentioned that you can always approach lecturers for extra teaching but bear in mind you have to set appoinment and possibly you have to follow the lecturer's time table. 

Truth about housemanships

1. Long working hours
2. Unable to eat on time
3. Rotation to each department
4. Don't expect to go back (home) in time
5. Working 7 days in a week
6. Expected to know all the cases in the world
7. Scoldings from the superior
8. Assessments at the end of posting

Housemanship sucks she said. You need to be ready to receive scoldings from your MOs, specialist, senior nurses and get ready to be super tired. 

Tips for housemanship

1. Team work
2. Proper attire and shoes
3. Effiecient and work fast
4. Learn as much as possible
5. Be humble and gentle
6. Patience
7. Admit your own mistake and learn from it
8. Relax and self-reward

Tips for Medical Officer (MO)

1. Work efficiently
2. Good team work
3. Be gentle and humble
4. Learn from mistake
5. More cases, more experience you will gain

       She told us that MO life is a little bit better than HO. But still MO can still receive scoldings from specialist and upper management. Being MO means higher responsibility because if you are an HO, MO will cover for you wrongdoings but if you are an HO, and you do mistakes, you can be sued and patients can filed a lawsuit against MO but not applicable on HO. 

Tips to survive Master programme (To be a specialist)

1. Study group
2. Learn from patients
3. Approach lecturers
4. Brave and more public speakings
5. Do your own notes
6. Lots of savings
7. Do not give up
8. Patience
9. Ventilate when neccesary

And this is the hardest part I think. If you pursue for specialist, you are required to work in hospitals too (as a doctor) and attend class at the university as well. How crazy is that sound? So I had a lot of respects to all specialist in this world. No wonder, we still need specialist in our country. Oh, and save a lot of money because the fees ain't joking. It is expensive. Even before entering an exam, you are required to pay RM__ k to take the exam. Yeah.

I hope this can enlighten you through out the journey. 

One of Dr Mardiah's quote, "It's okay to fail in medical school than to fail as a doctor" as she told her experience that she had to extend another 2 years to finish up her master program. But Allah knows best, now she's the head department whereas her friends that passed master in single trial didn't make it up to her state yet. 

All the best and be strong!

After week 3 in Medical school!

So, I can't believe it's already 3 weeks now.
The fact that I'm in medical school is also something that I'm still getting used to it.


    But!

I still need to find my own pace & the way of study. Lecturers never give us any 5 minutes break in class. The lectures are pretty straight forward (except for comm. class/TITAS/soft skills). There were time, I reflected on myself whether I can bring myself up to year 5. InsyaAllah pray for me. Whenever I felt lazy, I would look at my seniors in my class (repeaters but it's not a suitable word for them), I would remind myself. Hey medic is not your ordinary asasi anymore.

Really, these 2 weeks most of the time I spent myself on bed dozzing off rather than sitting on chair focused. Study and try to understand. Oh! About housemates, most of them are medic students too, one of them is nursing student. They always study and that make me feel motivated as well. Classmates - I still unable to know every single of them. They are from wonderful backgrounds - asasi unimas (major), uitm, um, matrics and also stpm. So, there are not much of age gap between us. And very 1 Malaysia class.

      Whenever I felt lazy, I try to remember how I wanted to be an efficient and compatible doctor, how bad I wanted JPA scholarships because PTPTN offers little money bcs I fall under 3rd category, how I hate / feel troublesome when my dad said he had deposited money into my bank account. 

       Early block are usually where all my money flows out leaving behind my empty wallet. Oh yeah, and we medical & nursing students are required to do screening on hepatitis B. Turn out that I need to get vaccinated with boosters (antibody) and do the next screening. This also required money maaa! 

Studying MD in Unimas uses block systems so most of the time we don't have the priviledge to have long holidays / semester break. It's kinda sad but it tells that I will spend more time in Sarawak. I may not be active in joining sports / organisations / clubs because my timetable are so packed that they even change every single week but I joined only a single islamic organisations because I have commitment issues cewah

Hope to be a more hardworking in my studies and make all these sacrifices (especially my parents') worthwhile. 

Advice to Doctors-to-be (IIUMC)

Credit to IIUM CONFESSIONS (Fb) 

Do you still remember your childhood ambition? Have you ever thought what will you be in 10 years? What are your dreams? Like the dreams that haven’t yet come true.

This is more like things to ponder, what should you aim in future and what shouldn’t you do.

Yes, I am a doctor, legal one, I have passed my 2 years of housemanship phase ( practical phase what they used to say, but you are real doctor already actually).

Medical school wasn’t that easy. 5 years of journey, some places required you to finish 6 years of studying. Wow. Just wow. That isn’t a short period of time, that is LENGTHY much I shall say.

As for me, I was a former medical student in triple MC. ( some of you might know it) .it was a twinning programme. Throughout the 5 years of studying, you had to complete like 5 university exams and more that 20 small block exams. The stressful situation came when the exam was around the corner.  Lack of sleeps, entertainment, less time with family, there are all normal for those going for exams. Fair enough, that all students also feel the same when it comes to exam.

But can you imagine memorizing a bunch of thick books like thousand pages and more? Straining your eyes trying to understand what the terms are, and the pathophysiology of life? That was hella so much you brain can actually digest. I guess all the medical students out there agree with me. But alhamdulillah I made it through eventually. I passed all the exams. However despite of that, there were some of my friends who didn’t make it. They had to repeat the paper. And worse things worse were, they had to repeat like another 6 months. Can you imagine that? Another 6 months of tortouring. Whatever it is, those being a medical students understand this so much.

Cut story short, I managed to complete my study and became a doctor. A  naive houseman I was 2 years ago. Within less than 1 month after the interview, I got my placement for housemanship somewhere in the north.

Being a housemanship , was like the lowest hierarchy of all, even lower than the Faber ( cleaner in the hospital) . YES. That was the truth. Your bosses will trust them rather than houseman, that is the fact you all out there need to know. I am not saying that all your bosses are thorns, they are still some of them are the beautiful roses inside out. The housemen are the port for them to raise voice, shout, be mad, try find the mistakes as tiny as dust. Really. But, the tips are, you just have to bear with it. Just have to bear and keep quit. Don’t try to argue back . don’t try to show your true feelings. Because housemen are like slave. Yes. Slave . Just do your damn works, keep praying everyday that you works for your patients and correct your niat whatever it is. Then you will be fine.

Being the lowest creature in the hierarchy, you will also be scolded by the patients. Yes, patients are clever, they tend to double standard. They know you are housemen, they will say bad things about management in front of you, not your specialists. Some more, having so called educated patients, they tend to be choosy, even setting the iv line for them will be a torture! As what I have mentioned earlier, just bear with it. Make a stunned face ( don’t care kinda face), do your work well and just move on. Don’t ever feel threatened with these annoying creatures.

During this phase, you will know who are your kind hearted, cooperative colleagues, and on the contrary, the always M.I.A, lazy, EL seekers kind of colleagues. Yes they exist! Please be the first one, never the latter, because whatever you will become, you will get the same things.

Alhamdulillah, I managed to successfully complete my 2 years of housemanship, currently going to be MO.

Become medical officers will have another challenges never the less. Don’t stop searching for knowledge, whenever possible further your study. Be specialised.

I am not saying being a doctor is all negatives , but turns the negatives into positives, you will see all positives.

Whoever is currently a medical student, please complete your study, whoever currently is thinking of becoming a doctor, please be one if you are 100% ready.

Do you still remember your childhood ambition? Have you ever thought what will you be in 10 years? What are your dreams? Like the dreams that haven’t yet come true.

Ass

This is more like things to ponder, what should you aim in future and what shouldn’t you do.

Yes, I am a doctor, legal one, I have passed my 2 years of housemanship phase ( practical phase what they used to say, but you are real doctor already actually).

Medical school wasn’t that easy. 5 years of journey, some places required you to finish 6 years of studying. Wow. Just wow. That isn’t a short period of time, that is LENGTHY much I shall say.

As for me, I was a former medical student in triple MC. ( some of you might know it) .it was a twinning programme. Throughout the 5 years of studying, you had to complete like 5 university exams and more that 20 small block exams. The stressful situation came when the exam was around the corner.  Lack of sleeps, entertainment, less time with family, there are all normal for those going for exams. Fair enough, that all students also feel the same when it comes to exam.

But can you imagine memorizing a bunch of thick books like thousand pages and more? Straining your eyes trying to understand what the terms are, and the pathophysiology of life? That was hella so much you brain can actually digest. I guess all the medical students out there agree with me. But alhamdulillah I made it through eventually. I passed all the exams. However despite of that, there were some of my friends who didn’t make it. They had to repeat the paper. And worse things worse were, they had to repeat like another 6 months. Can you imagine that? Another 6 months of tortouring. Whatever it is, those being a medical students understand this so much.

Cut story short, I managed to complete my study and became a doctor. A  naive houseman I was 2 years ago. Within less than 1 month after the interview, I got my placement for housemanship somewhere in the north.

Being a housemanship , was like the lowest hierarchy of all, even lower than the Faber ( cleaner in the hospital) . YES. That was the truth. Your bosses will trust them rather than houseman, that is the fact you all out there need to know. I am not saying that all your bosses are thorns, they are still some of them are the beautiful roses inside out. The housemen are the port for them to raise voice, shout, be mad, try find the mistakes as tiny as dust. Really. But, the tips are, you just have to bear with it. Just have to bear and keep quit. Don’t try to argue back . don’t try to show your true feelings. Because housemen are like slave. Yes. Slave . Just do your damn works, keep praying everyday that you works for your patients and correct your niat whatever it is. Then you will be fine.

Being the lowest creature in the hierarchy, you will also be scolded by the patients. Yes, patients are clever, they tend to double standard. They know you are housemen, they will say bad things about management in front of you, not your specialists. Some more, having so called educated patients, they tend to be choosy, even setting the iv line for them will be a torture! As what I have mentioned earlier, just bear with it. Make a stunned face ( don’t care kinda face), do your work well and just move on. Don’t ever feel threatened with these annoying creatures.

During this phase, you will know who are your kind hearted, cooperative colleagues, and on the contrary, the always M.I.A, lazy, EL seekers kind of colleagues. Yes they exist! Please be the first one, never the latter, because whatever you will become, you will get the same things.

Alhamdulillah, I managed to successfully complete my 2 years of housemanship, currently going to be MO.

Become medical officers will have another challenges never the less. Don’t stop searching for knowledge, whenever possible further your study. Be specialised.

I am not saying being a doctor is all negatives , but turns the negatives into positives, you will see all positives.

Whoever is currently a medical student, please complete your study, whoever currently is thinking of becoming a doctor, please be one if you are 100% ready.

Assalamualaikum and good luck.

– Dr F.