Life Is Something Like That

2 weeks and the posting was over. 1 week in neurosurgery and another week in neuromedical, and that was it. It was rather brief. After all, it was just intended to be sort of like an exposure for us. The field was quite complicated, I think. Nevertheless, it was interesting. Glad there was actually two weeks, rather than none, of the posting. If there were none, it would have been a miss. The cases that we saw was quite serious, at least in the eyes of the public. The patients could present with paralysis after a motor vehicle accident, had altered consciousness, even coma, or lose cognitive functions such as comprehending and talking. It's a good thing there are specialist units to handle these cases and help to improve the quality of life of the patient, whatever that's left.

4 weeks and it's the end of psychiatric posting. It was a totally different kind of posting, I think. Clerking history was difficult, because a lot of the time, they either don't know what was wrong with them or they have forgotten or they simply didn't want to tell us. Yeah well, they can't be blamed either. In the eyes of our society, it is an embarrassing thing.

The posting was uneventful, well at least to me. No physical assault or anything like that from the patients. At most, there was a guy running to and fro, gazing up, as if chasing a butterfly. Then, of course, if you pass outside the wards, the patients would be calling you and trying to talk to you. That's normal. Unlike my friend, a muscular guy, he got hugged by a female patient while he was in the ward. Yeah, he was 'terrified'. Haha.

6 weeks of medical posting has already ended. 6 weeks seems a bit too short for the posting, but then again, I've always felt short of time in previous postings. Perhaps it's my problem. Haha. How did I use up my time during the posting? I wonder. Anyhow, contrary to what some may have said, I actually thought that the posting was okay. The only 'problem' is that there many classes had to be postponed and replaced at another time because the lecturers were busy. Apart from that, it was alright. I think we were given ample time to study on our own (no unnecessary activities), be it in the ward or in our room or the library, etc. And our group leader did a good job of arranging the schedule and dividing the tasks. Well, there's a lot of things to study/cover in this medical posting, as usual. And I couldn't finish it. Yeah, slowpoke. That's me. Haha. If I could remember all the I've studied in the previous years, this posting would have been much easier. Unfortunately, I've forgotten a lot of those stuff. Sigh. Because of the sheer volume of things I had to study, I did feel stressed up at times. Now that it's over, I'm so relieved. I just hope that what I've studied will be retained, though I seriously doubt it. That's for now. Next posting: psychiatry.

3 weeks of the Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery posting is over already. Yea, it's a long name for the posting, we usually just call it ORL or ENT. Another nice posting. Of course, there are much to be learned, especially given the short timeframe of just 3 weeks. There are so many parts we had to cover: the ears, nose, throat, head and neck - within 3 weeks. Nevertheless, we tried, of course, and the lecturers also were accommodative. What I really liked about the posting is the positivity of the lecturers, doctors and professors. There's like an aura of positivity around them, whether they are dealing with patients or us medical students. You will notice it when you meet them. Especially so when you meet certain doctors. You won't miss it. Their spirit or enthusiasm could actually wake you up from sleepiness during class. Haha. Instead of being stressful, they made the medical field more enjoyable. I'd just wish all the doctors were like that. Too much to ask for, eh?

All in all, it's not a posting to be taken lightly, but we had great teachers. Well, it's kind of short, and I'd think that a week or two longer would be better perhaps? Considering that these ENT cases are quite commonly encountered, especially in our future profession. In conclusion, it's a great posting, and for those yet to enter, it's a posting to look forward to.

3 weeks and the ophthalmology posting has ended. It was definitely a change of air. Having gone through the other postings, I must say it's a rather nice, clean and not-so-stressful posting. All the lecturers and MOs were very good and nice to students. They were very helpful and willing to teach. All in all, the atmosphere was 'nice' (okay, I think I used the word a bit too much, but it really is how I felt about this posting). It just makes me feel compelled to be a part of this environment. Who knows? Maybe. Haha.

So, three weeks for us to learn about the basics. We learnt, and practised looking at the fundus using a direct ophthalmoscope, as well as some other modalities that were used. All the equipment, gadgets, and lenses - they perk my interest. Haha. I wouldn't say things were rushed in this posting, and given how well the posting was organized, we actually had the time and opportunity to study and practice, so that we were able to cover the things that we were supposed to know.

And then there was the Community Eye Service, which in my opinion, was a great programme. Besides helping out the community (by giving some basic eye check), we were also able to practise our skills, especially when it comes to viewing the fundus.

All in all, a great posting!