Palace of Justice

As mentioned in my earlier post, I have been rather busy lately. The thought of leaving government service has always been on my mind. When opportunity comes your way, you should try and strike it while it is still hot. It is easier said than done though. Those familiar with Robert T. Kiyosaki's books will be familiar with his QUADRANT. I am in an environment where I have been preconditioned to be an EMPLOYEE. The mantra is:

Study hard, get into university, get a job in government sector, get pension = great life

Read his books!

Have you ever had to grit your teeth and suppress the Wolverine inside of you? Being so angry but there is nothing much you can do? I had one incident today. I am not really an angry person. But when things get to annoying I can really go out of control. Thankfully nothing happened...no one got hurt.

• Unruly, out of bed hair..................check
• Sweat dripping all over the place....check
• Unshaved beard for a week...........check
• Muscles......................................in 10 years

Can you see the similarities with MOfrust?

When I first read the headline, I thought to myself... Housemanship IS a 2 years Bootcamp for medical officers. What happened to the final clinical years while at medical school anyway?

My MBBS degree consisted of 2 pre clinical years followed by 3 clinical years. It is during these clinical years that things started to make sense. You can read all you want about hypertension & diabetes but it is not the same as applying all that knowledge by clerking & examining patients. The term "the patient is your text book " still holds till today....I am ever so grateful to my lecturers. And it is during my clinical years that I was able to see how it was to have on calls. I still remember how it was to follow my lecturer doing rounds & doing hand surgery at 4 am. It was a wonderful experience. Studying medicine wasn't easy but I cherish every bit of it...even through the darkest hours.

That was 4 years ago. Now, the enthusiasm is gone. The white knight I intended to be (I.e. Doctor) is gone. MOfrust rises. I love my patients. I am happy whenever they get better. I am happy whenever patients come back with better sugar & blood pressure control after adjusting their medications.

Things go bad when patients refuse to follow treatment, then accuse doctors of not doing their job. When a diabetic foot needs amputation, it's the doctors fault although they have been advised on the risk of poor sugar control. When doctors advice patient to stop smoking & refrain from sexual promiscuity, doctors are told to mind their own business. That's the reality. The ever increasing numbers of medical lawsuit is putting a dent on my interest to treat patients as well. At the end of a shift I just want to make sure I don't get sued.

My advice to aspiring doctors out there is to think properly about your choices. It is not a bed of roses. Just go through my blog posts. Comments like "just do what you are paid to do" puts a dent in your morale. Yes, I live a comfy life. I don't have to worry about my next meal. I am grateful for that. But am I happy with my work?....colleagues, please answer this question sincerely for me. Please leave a comment on what you think....

It has been very quiet lately. I was rather busy this past week. I had issues that needed to be resolved. Future prospects to consider...which I will share in due time. I don't subscribe to NST due to my personal views regarding its contents but my colleagues shared this on Facebook.

No Jobs For Medical Grads Next Year

The issue of excess medical graduates has cropped up multiple times. Even during my medical student days, I have heard of this. As the Malays say it rasa nak muntah dengor nye!

Every year when SPM or STPM results come out, parents will complain that there aren't enough places for their kids to do medicine. Parents will complain to politicians and these politicians will play hero and tell universities to increase their intakes for medical courses. Basic economics dictates that when there is demand, there will be supply. Any business minded person can see this opportunity, thus private medical universities flourish. However, the institution where a doctor studies does not determine 100% whether the doctor is good or not. ATTITUDE is the most important factor.