DAY 869-883

Jan 18 - Feb 1

1) This chapter in my current medical school life begins with my parents coming over to visit a day before our White Coat Ceremony - a symbolic rite of passage as we medical students embark on our clinical years in the wards. Many events transpire and the journey continues until Friday (Feb 1), after which we're off for Chinese New Year holidays.

2) Beginning a new routine is never easy, and it took me some time to acclimatise myself with my new environment, my new lecturers/surgeons, and my new schedule. For this semester, all of us are split up into three MAIN groups - A, B, and C. Out of these groups we are further divided into six different SUB-groups. My group is B1, so we start off with Surgery/Orthopedics. Throughout the semester, everyone will rotate between Surgery/Orthopedics, Medicine, and Public Health.

3) At the end of each rotation, we will have assessments and a portfolio to submit. The portfolio should contain a list of cases (23 for Surg/Ortho; 10 for Medicine) that we've clerked. So our daily timetable looks a little like this - we need to be in hospital by 8.00am every day, and we can check out after 12.00pm. During our time in hospital, we need to clerk patients - essentially taking a detailed history of their symptoms/problems and also performing a physical examination on them.

4) On certain days (Mon, Wed, Fri) we have bedside teachings (BST) with the surgeons/nurses/staff. Most of these include nominating someone from our group to present a case (sometimes the theme is specific, sometimes it is general) to the surgeon, and then further discussion ensues. After signing out, we walk back to our campus to have lunch (some of us still find the energy to drive outside for food!) At 2.00pm, study resumes, this time with lectures in the Lecture Theatre (usually from 2-5pm). We cover lectures in Surgery, Medicine, Public Health, and even some "Multispecialty Lectures" which are lectures in the following semester (e.g. ENT, EBM etc).

5) Sometimes, we don't have lectures for an hour, which gives us some time for self-directed learning. Otherwise, we have tutorials (either Surgery or Medicine), which need to be completed before attending the lecture. From 5-7pm, our physically and mentally drained selves need to prepare for the last phase of our daily routine - the dreaded MPU (General Studies) subjects. This semester is all on Ethnic Relations (Hubungan Etnik) and Critical Thinking. MPU classes are from Mon-Thurs, with Friday the only exception.

6) For Malaysian students without SPM Malay, they are required to take Malay Language A in lieu of the Ethnic Relations module. It is this compulsory module (required by the Ministry of Higher Education - MOHE) that is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Two of our very best hours squandered away just like that, with nothing really tangible to gain. If we were bumbling students with loads of free time to spare, I would not feel so strongly, but we are not. Every hour is an hour that could be used to improve our textbook and clinical knowledge, to ultimately make us safe and competent doctors.

7) Anyhow, life is all about adapting to the circumstances, so adapt we shall. Surgery rotations are generally considered to be difficult, with public health being comparatively tame. So at the very least I can tell myself that it will get easier from here on. I'll keep telling myself that haha. That's it for this edition of my blog, do spend some time with the loads of pictures below - and their associated captions. I spent a lot of time putting them together.

Thanks very much for visiting my blog, and have a lovely day ahead. Cheers!

P.S. Happy Chinese New Year 2019 to all celebrating, and Happy Holidays to everyone! May the coming years bring much joy and happiness to one and all ^^

The White Coat Ceremony for Class of 2021

(I'm in second row first from left)

Reclining Buddha Temple (Wat Chayamangkalaram) in Pulau Tikus - home to the 3rd largest reclining Buddha, and the largest in Malaysia

The reclining Buddha represents the historical Buddha at this death, with the name of Pra Buddhachaiya Mongkul which is a symbol to a complete peace and detachment from the world

The attention to detail in the architecture and statues is amazing!

Traditional Pasembur at one of the food stalls in Georgetown :)

The Big Day - White Coat Ceremony - with Prof. Stephen Doughty

With Prof. Premnath Nagalingam

With Prof. David Whitford

And of course, with my dear mom :)

Swatow Lane Ice Kacang

RCSI UCD Malaysia Campus

Orientation Day - post White-Coat Ceremony

(l-r: Myself, Jason, Aisha, Nee Kee)

An assortment of kuih-muih (traditional Malay cakes) (foreground) and some Western ones (background)

Very beautiful arrangement and plating for what is commonplace kuih

Brownies and walnut cake were equally as good!

To complete the meal, two glasses each of iced tea and iced coffee!

Happy family :)

Ice Kacang at "Swatow Lane" Restaurant

Sri York residences - my humble abode XD

Northam Beach - our dinner destination tonight

Such a huge variety of seafood!

Pre-dinner photo

The love of my life - sweet and sour crab <3 <3 <3

That is a large crab claw if I've seen one

Dessert was lit ^

Myself, Nee Kee, and Ice - all in blue

With mom and grandpa 

Parents waiting for the event (White Coat Ceremony) to take place

"So, what made you choose medical school?"

The Auditorium, ACC Building, Penang General Hospital

All smiles after the short ceremony

Kuhan and myself

Melvin, Melissa, Myself, Kuhan, and Zi Yan

(also known as Team "Blumbos" for unknown reasons XD)

Zi Yan, Esther, Melissa, Melvin, Myself, Nee Kee, Ice

Standing in front of the ACC Building entrance

Our next stop was the Reclining Buddha Temple

Next stop - Gurney Plaza!

With my dad :)

Ippudo ramen for lunch

My dad opted for fried rice in a restaurant noted for its ramen! XD

Afternoon tea at "Winter Warmers"

The history behind the concept of "afternoon tea"

Rose tea and peppermint tea - complimentary with their afternoon tea sets

Their chocolate banana Belgian waffles were a delight!

A smorgasbord of sweet and savoury delights! :)

My dad seconds before reaching for the fruit pastry on top ^^

What a nice way to relax and put on a few extra kilos!

Mom posing with her teacup

Pasembor - a Malaysian salad consisting of cucumber, potatoes, beancurd, turnip, bean sprouts, prawn fritters, spicy fried crab, fried octopus or other seafoods and served with a sweet and spicy nut sauce

War Cenotaph in Penang, located at the shoreline of the Esplanade

The Moon was really bright tonight

Peace and tranquility by the pool

Gramps and myself - colour-coordinated for the day :)

Lazing by the poolside after morning stroll

 There is a mini mart in our apartment - it seems to be perpetually closed though XD

(so I took a snap of their business hours haha)

  Delicious "salt-baked chicken" with Melissa's family, Melvin, and Esther

Thanks so much for the treat! ^^

Sambal squid rice set, complete with rose syrup drink

Denise decided to make dinner, I helped - that's the end result :)

First day of actual class - can't wait to begin ward rounds!

Lunch at the cafeteria - always accompanied by an ice cold drink!

Lunch after a long 4 hours of clerking patients in the hospital

(and another 5 hours of lectures immediately afterward)

  

"Army Stew" - Korean style

The "Makan Group"

(l-r: Vincent, Melvin, Esther, Melissa, Ice, Myself)

Our Mr. Dakgalbi set was really good :D

Group B1mates (l-r: Myself, Amirah, Ray, Mahitha, Hajar)

(Missing Esther, Ruth, Helmi, and Varin :)

"Thai style" chicken rice set - comes with drink

(at Sri York Cafeteria)

My new name card ^^

"Sambal" squid noodle set

 Claypot noodles,

with a side serving of fried chicken (collect 10 stamps to redeem haha)

That's a Ferrari 430 Scuderia! <3<3<3

  

Post-jog dinner with Denise :)

"Kam Heong" chicken rice set

Black pepper chicken rice set at the Sri York Cafeteria

I've never tried the "salad" chicken rice set at the Cafe - until now :)

Chicken Rice "Special" - only available today XD

RM7 (or €1.50!)