A mizdiagnosis

Why did I choose medicine?!

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wrong Impressions I

Why is the focus always on reducing the waiting time in the government outpatient clinics?

While you sit at the clinic thinking to yourself like every 150-200 patients who are waiting with you, "Why are the doctors taking so long?":

The head of department is busy calling down every doctor possible to come down to clinic to help see to a politician's 'ideal pre-election promises' that waiting time in clinics should never exceed 1 hour.

While every housemen and medical officer are being ordered to attend to those in the clinic, there are one to two housemen, probably with 2 taggers the most, of whom all have less than 4 months experience of work, looking after the more critical patients in the ward.

I mean, you did mention you didn't want inexperienced doctors attending to you in your clinic right? Did anyone check whether the patients in the ward wanted the same thing?

Did I mention that there's usually no medical officer (doctors who have at least one year experience) with the housemen in the ward? That's because everyone gets told to take care of clinic patients.. the housemen seeing to clinic patients need someone to consult, surely you don't think all of them go to only one specialist or medical officer to seek advice for 150-200 patients right?

So if you think to yourself, "Wow, so many doctors attending to us in the clinic."
There's 40+ patients in the ward being looked after by 4 junior housemen.. How can bad things not happen?

So really, do you really have to take this whole 'outpatient clinic waiting time' so seriously?

posted by Sha @ 12:28 AM 1 comments

Sunday, August 17, 2008

To my girlfriends

Dear friends,

I'm writing this to my close friends who I have not been keeping in touch with for so long. So many whom I've forgotten to call, didn't reply to their phone messages or e-mails, cancelled appointments with.. I'm sorry I've been out of touch.

How's life? How are each of you doing? Please tell me.. I may be busy with work, but I do wonder how everyone is doing everytime I think of you guys. I wish there was a way we could all meet. I really miss hanging out with all of you.

How about me? The best news I have is that I can finally move out of my hostel, which honestly is a good place to stay, but the problem with the place is that my parents can't come to my place and stay over. And I can't cook in my hostel or put a fixed phone line for internet. It's expensive to use my Celcom Broadband. I'll be renting house now, located in one of the nice housing areas here. It's really nice and I'll be living there alone next month onwards until I can find one housemate. The place has good security and my neighbours are great (all families), so don't worry about my safety. I promise I'll be careful. When my place is all set up, all of you can come over cos I'll definitely have a room to spare.

Another good news is that I'll be taking a few days off to go to Cambodia with new friends early next month. One of them is a fellow houseman and another is one of my medical officers. I can't wait for the trip. It's a good thing for me to go cos I know my later postings will be busier and I might not be able to take leave so easily. This is me taking every opportunity possible.

I'm working in the female ward now. And I really love it. Despite the fact that now I have to take care of double the number of patients that I had in the male ward during on-calls, I find it less stressful because I don't get patients with severe head trauma after a 'mat rempit' session or an alcoholic coming in vomiting massive amount of blood. After more than a month since I've started work, I've finally found a group of girlfriends I can hang out with. And they are fellow houseofficers like me in my ward. We all watch out for one another. Its wonderful when you have a friend who calls you during your call just to check whether you're doing ok, and it's a blessing when you have one who tells you that you can always call them if you really need help. Trust me, those kind of houseofficers are hard to find. I thank God everyday since I've changed wards that I've finally found girlfriends who treat me as a friend, not just as a workmate.

If you're wondering how I find working life, I wish I knew how to describe it to you. Despite being in a big hospital, it's still lacking in so many ways. You'd think that alot should be available for the patients who come to this hospital, but it was an eye-opener to find out how much they were not getting. One day when we do meet up, I'll tell you all the things I've been through. But overall, I love working as a doctor here. I hate the stress, but I would never want to be a medical student again, standing by the side as a spectator. It's great to be part of a team, contributing to a cause.

And yes, if you're wondering, I'm still single and available..heehee.. but not that no one's interested. A fellow female houseman tried to hint to me that someone likes me.. but me being me, I just ignored it, knowing that I'll act all weird around that person if I believed what she said. I was asked out once by a medical officer, but I didn't accept because of him being Muslim, me being Christian. Plus he's a self-conceited idiot. Next thing I knew, he's actually married with 2 small children. Can you imagine that?! How disgusting. Anyway, it's only been 2 months since I've started work, did you really expect me to be a hot item on the market as soon as I started work? I think most people think I'm just a plain-looking quiet girl when they see me at work. Not that I mind it. You guys know me, I'm in no rush to be in a relationship, eventhough my mother is probably praying everyday that I'd get married soon.

I really miss you guy. I never knew how much pain it was to not have your close girlfriends around to talk to until I started work. I think there were times I was in tears because I was wishing you guys were here. But I'm A-OK now because of all the good things I've told you so far. But I still wish all of you were here. I really like life now, I truly feel blessed. I am now the person I've always wanted to be, a self-sufficient independent woman. I have a place of my own, a car of my own, earning my own money, a job I'm passionate about, friends I can count on, and I truly believe it's only a matter of time until God blesses me with a guy who'll be the perfect match. Haha. It's great knowing I am able to take care of myself and my family. I hope everyone is as happy and content as myself.

I hope everyone's doing great. Do keep in touch *hugz*

Much love,
Sha

posted by Sha @ 10:08 PM 3 comments

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Name: Sha
DOB: 6th July
Email: shasynergy@gmail.com

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