This blog, perhaps had evolved into another stage ala "Confessions of a Medical Student" by Shin Yin. Or perhaps a transient one, maybe "Confession of a Laidback Medical Student". Funny how we'd used to take a peep into the lives of final year medical students, their endeavour, their joy and pride. Funny how it felt that no matter how you prepare your mind for this day to come, taking that single leap is still as terrifying as it could be.
3rd week into Surgery, and somehow it did not felt as bad as it was in Year 3. Perhaps I was as lost as I could get, which is why I would empathize the juniors more. They may be our juniors in just these 2 years, but who knows they may even be your superiors, or seniors when you take your Masters program? I truly believe in the law of present karma, so be nice to everyone, or at least I tried to.
Being a 5th year is different from a 3rd year. The consultants and specialists pay extra attention to you, because you are having the professionals exams soon, and any screw ups would spell trouble for their part. When would you get 6 consultants + specialists for a group of 5 students? Back when I was in Year 3, it was 2 specialists to a group of 8 students. Plus, as a 5th year, you get to do more procedures in the wards. You tend to be more proficient in the clinical procedures (or so we thought, or we'd master the art of pretense) and even the registrars acknowledge your presence. Even now, we get to scrub in to assist the doctors in the operation, although it's still not as much as doing the thing itself(not my cup of tea though). At least there was a purpose going to the OT, as well as Prof Rohaizak's teaching in the OT. Back in Year 3, operating theaters were strictly nono for me, because we as 3rd years were just like the neon lights on the Christmas tree. Nice, shiny, and yet insignificant. Or maybe white elephant. Or sometimes, we became the annoying flies being swatted off right from the start. Ignored most of the time, and learnt nothing, apart from desperate attempts to get signatures for the logbook for observing OT procedures.
As one of us did noticed that the house officer posted to UKMMC were getting younger and younger. Little did we realised that it wasn't them. It was us getting older and older. The house officer may even be of the same age as us, hence the decrease in the age gap between us and the house officers. Can't really believe that we're now 24 (alright, some may be 23, fellow rabbits)! We were so young and naive, and knew nothing much of the postings. The current revision did stir up some nostalgic memories and how we'd felt so old. The memories of the past seem so distant and yet the time ahead of us seem short and insufficient.
Prof Rohaizak gave one of his teachings in the OT today. Again, he mentioned something and asked us to refer to page 400+ Forsythe. His trademark trick. Alex was quick to point out that he was lying, and Prof was laughing, because he knew each and every one of us back then in Year 3 would have believed everything that he said and even jotted it down (I didn't back then, FYI).
Now is the time for us to brush up our knowledge in history taking and physical examination. I thought I'd done it well, but yesterday proved me wrong. I wasn't able to do much with a lateral neck swelling(multiple) which proved to be cervical lymphadenopathy in a short case teaching with Miss Nani. That shows how much I'd not covered yet. And today, the diabetic foot patient, I could only stare for some time, and the sequence of order for the examination was rather awry. There's a lot more to learn, but I do know that this time, I am rather well-equipped with the knowledge compared to the me 2 years ago. Let's hope the spirit and zest shall prevail over a year's time at the very least.
3rd week into Surgery, and somehow it did not felt as bad as it was in Year 3. Perhaps I was as lost as I could get, which is why I would empathize the juniors more. They may be our juniors in just these 2 years, but who knows they may even be your superiors, or seniors when you take your Masters program? I truly believe in the law of present karma, so be nice to everyone, or at least I tried to.
Being a 5th year is different from a 3rd year. The consultants and specialists pay extra attention to you, because you are having the professionals exams soon, and any screw ups would spell trouble for their part. When would you get 6 consultants + specialists for a group of 5 students? Back when I was in Year 3, it was 2 specialists to a group of 8 students. Plus, as a 5th year, you get to do more procedures in the wards. You tend to be more proficient in the clinical procedures (or so we thought, or we'd master the art of pretense) and even the registrars acknowledge your presence. Even now, we get to scrub in to assist the doctors in the operation, although it's still not as much as doing the thing itself(not my cup of tea though). At least there was a purpose going to the OT, as well as Prof Rohaizak's teaching in the OT. Back in Year 3, operating theaters were strictly nono for me, because we as 3rd years were just like the neon lights on the Christmas tree. Nice, shiny, and yet insignificant. Or maybe white elephant. Or sometimes, we became the annoying flies being swatted off right from the start. Ignored most of the time, and learnt nothing, apart from desperate attempts to get signatures for the logbook for observing OT procedures.
As one of us did noticed that the house officer posted to UKMMC were getting younger and younger. Little did we realised that it wasn't them. It was us getting older and older. The house officer may even be of the same age as us, hence the decrease in the age gap between us and the house officers. Can't really believe that we're now 24 (alright, some may be 23, fellow rabbits)! We were so young and naive, and knew nothing much of the postings. The current revision did stir up some nostalgic memories and how we'd felt so old. The memories of the past seem so distant and yet the time ahead of us seem short and insufficient.
Prof Rohaizak gave one of his teachings in the OT today. Again, he mentioned something and asked us to refer to page 400+ Forsythe. His trademark trick. Alex was quick to point out that he was lying, and Prof was laughing, because he knew each and every one of us back then in Year 3 would have believed everything that he said and even jotted it down (I didn't back then, FYI).
Now is the time for us to brush up our knowledge in history taking and physical examination. I thought I'd done it well, but yesterday proved me wrong. I wasn't able to do much with a lateral neck swelling(multiple) which proved to be cervical lymphadenopathy in a short case teaching with Miss Nani. That shows how much I'd not covered yet. And today, the diabetic foot patient, I could only stare for some time, and the sequence of order for the examination was rather awry. There's a lot more to learn, but I do know that this time, I am rather well-equipped with the knowledge compared to the me 2 years ago. Let's hope the spirit and zest shall prevail over a year's time at the very least.
