DAY 794-807

Nov 4-17

1) Time for a much needed update of my blog. I've noticed that the length between each blog post can be used as a yardstick for how busy I am at the moment. Which obviously would indicate that I am up to my neck with work. I'll try to summarise the things I've done in the past two weeks or so.

2) On Nov 3, Malaysian Medics International Ireland (MMII) organised a Research Symposium at the Trinity Biomedical Science Institute (TBSI). I was privileged to be invited to present my research project(s) at the event, as well as being on the panel for a discussion session on lab-based research vs clinical research, along with other professional researchers/doctors. There was a huge turnout (it's Trinity so yeah XD), and I was very happy with the enthusiasm shown by the future student researchers. The panel discussion was awesome as well, moderated by Eunice, who did a great job distilling the many questions that the audience had regarding research. Most of them who came had little research experience and were looking for tips and advice on how and where to begin with research.

3) On Nov 5, we had our REGUB (Renal, Endocrine, Genitourinary and Breast) exam. It was raining in the morning, and I had to run to a different bus stop to catch an earlier bus to the main campus. It didn't help that the bus stop provided no shade from the rain. Anyway, I made it to college with time to spare, got myself a large cup of coffee, and with my veins pumped with caffeine I sat for the paper. Done and dusted. I was unproductive for the rest of the day, but that's just the side effects of the caffeine wearing off I guess XD

4) On Nov 7, my good friend Zi Yan and I went for the "Run In The Dark" event. There were two options - 5km or 10km, and we opted for the longer distance. The temperature at night wasn't as cold as it was for the marathon, and I was really glad to finish without stopping (thus partially redeeming myself for the full marathon XD). We collected our goodie bags, and stayed behind to get some KFC. That was the end of the night for us, and we went back home soon after.

5) On Nov 10, Zi Yan and I attended a SafeTALK training course, organised by the AMSI RCSI (Association of Medical Students Ireland). The talk focussed on suicide prevention, and how to be alert and spot "invitations" which are the signs that someone may be considering suicide as an option. It also aimed to get everyone talking about mental health, and to move away from considering it a taboo subject. I found the talk very helpful, as the presenter had been through this harrowing experience themselves.

6) On Nov 16 (i.e. this morning as I'm typing this), we had our OSCE examinations in Beaumont. Three systems were covered this semester - gastrointestinal (GI), lower limb (LL) neurological sensory, and LL neurological motor, respectively. We had five minutes to perform the entire examination, so the day before, my friends and I practiced the night away. I was the first batch examined this morning, and was very happy indeed to have passed well. The OSCEs in Intermediate Cycle are pass/fail, so the strategy would be not to fail, rather than perform flawlessly.

7) Now that I've covered everything that has passed, I'll share with you everything ahead. Tomorrow (Nov 17), PMCSA is organising a Farewell Dinner for the students leaving for Penang (i.e. us) at the end of the semester. It will be a tear-jerking moment for us as we part ways with our peers, friends and colleagues for the past 2.5 years. But as all good things must come to an end, that doesn't mean we have to be all sad about it. Thus, I've made the decision to dedicate a poem to everyone at RCSI, to remember and treasure the memories we made, and to remind everyone that this not a goodbye, but rather a see you again soon.

8) On Nov 23, RCSI Cancer Society is having a Bake Sale in conjunction with Movember - which aims to promote men's health and fund research on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide. It is a great cause, and we even have a competition on growing a mo' (moustache) for the entire month. Zi Yan and I are one of the eight teams participating, so if you'd like to support us (please do) you're more than welcome to donate to this link (https://www.gofundme.com/v25pxh-movember). Just make sure to indicate in the "Leave a Comment" section which team you are voting for. The end goal is the same though - all proceeds will go to the Movember Foundation. So what are you waiting for - donate to the Running Mo's! ^^

9) On Nov 26, we will have our CNSLF (Central Nervous System, Locomotor, Forensics) module exams, which thankfully, are in Beaumont. It will be another harrowing week for us, as the following week is our end-of-semester exams. To make matters worse, we have practically ONE day in between each of our exams, and we have both MCQs (multiple choice) and SNQs (short notes) to cover. That will be one heck of a week for us, and you can expect me to be in the library ALL DAY LONG for that.

10) Following our end-of-semester exams (which end on Dec 12), I will have 3 days break before I must bid Dublin farewell to return to Malaysia - capping off an incredible 836 days spent abroad! That would summarise the events for myself, and for the next couple of weeks, I may find it difficult to post regular updates on my blog due to the mounting pressure of exams etc, so do bear with me. That's about it for this edition of my blog post, and I hope you enjoyed reading about it. Have a nice weekend, cheers! :D

P.S. A TONNE OF PHOTOS COMING YOUR WAY, SO DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT SCROLLING DOWN FIRST. CHEERS! :)

Thank you very much MMII for having me over to present my research experience!

(at Trinity Biomedical Science Institute)

Certificate ^^

Turnout was great - really happy with the overall planning and organising!

 From l-r: Desmond Chua (4th year UCD), Myself (3rd year RCSI), Dr Roshaida Abdul Wahab (PhD Candidate UCD), Dr Wan Mahmood (Specialist in General Medicine, Diabetes and Endocrinology), Dr. Arimin Mat (Research Fellow in Endocrinology UCD), Eunice Lim (Moderator, 4th year UCD)

As mentioned before, the turnout for the Research Symposium was very good! ^^

Enjoying a brief respite (while contemplating how to tackle upcoming REGUB exams)

Post REGUB exam meal with everyone!

l-r: Andy, Barry, Winston, Mat Noor, Kuhan, Myself

(enjoying a good breakfast at "1784" Cafe at RCSI SSG)

The Running Club of RCSI - over 60 people signed up for the "Run In The Dark 2018"!

A beautiful night to remember!

Zi Yan and myself, after completing the Run In The Dark 2018! 

#TeamRunningMo's 

Very glad to have finished in one piece XD

Colourful lights illuminate the bridge at night :)

All that glisters is not gold—

Often have you heard that told.

Many a man his life hath sold

But my outside to behold.

Gilded tombs do worms enfold.

Had you been as wise as bold,

Young in limbs, in judgment old,

Your answer had not been inscrolled

Fare you well. Your suit is cold—

Cold, indeed, and labor lost.

A well-deserved meal post-run :)

Indeed, the side dividers are the thing I miss most about the old Mercer Library

(pic taken outside the Beaumont Library)

Attended the safeTALK on suicide prevention

Bulletin Board in No. 26 York St. New Academic Building

Movember 2018 - advertising for a good cause - so make sure to donate!

(link: https://www.gofundme.com/v25pxh-movember)

THANK YOU <3 <3 <3

l-r: Myself, Hong, Zi Yan practising for our OSCE exam the next day :)

(at an undisclosed location somewhere in the heart of Beaumont Hospital :)

Sneak peek: This is the same room to be used for our OSCE examination the next day

Providing FREE counselling advice! :)

DAY 774-780

Oct 16-22

1) And another week has passed. As I count down the days till our exams finish, I'm increasingly aware that I will soon be leaving Ireland. It is indeed a shame that as much as I would love to maximise my remaining time here doing fun exciting activities, I still have to keep my studies a priority - or I wouldn't be going back XD.

2) As it is, my friends have been very supportive, and I find myself hanging out with everyone a little more. Knowing that everyone is going through the same phase certainly helps, as we can relate to each others' problems. My routine has not changed one bit - I still arrive early at the library everyday, and I leave when it closes - 10pm on weekdays, and 8pm on weekends.

3) One thing I've discovered is that breaks are really important. Everyone deserves a break, regardless of how close exams are or how much left they need to cover. I've always felt a lot more energised and in the mood to study after a well-earned lunch break with friends in the canteen. And I realise that when I do return to Malaysia, it is these memories that I will take home with me - not the ones spent cramming information in a secluded spot in the library.

4) In less than a month, it will be time for our annual Farewell Dinner - for the Malaysian (and international) students returning to Malaysia for their clinical stage of the course. It was only yesterday when I attended my first Farewell Dinner, for the seniors two years above. I still remember thinking what a long way we have to go, and yet here I am. Frankly, time has wheezed by (mostly due to the studying XD) and soon it will be time to bid each other farewell. But it's never goodbye, only until we meet again.

That's it for today's blog update, and thanks for tuning in as always. Have a nice week ahead, cheers! :D

With Andy, Barry, and Hazel at the (staff) canteen, Beaumont :))

- ft. a rare 1920 note called "Reichsbanknote" in front of my plate -

With Amirah and Ice at "1784" Cafe in the main campus, St. Stephen's Green :))

Munch ado about nothing ^^

Ein Hundert Mark (One Hundred Marks)

- 1920 note from Hazel's inventory -

Roast chicken with roast potatoes and carrots

(I've discovered stuffing is free XD)

Jacket potato with a side of chips - dinner on a lazy Sunday...

Spice burgers with mash potatoes and kale - courtesy of my awesome host mom Emma! :D

Beaumont Hospital is getting into the Halloween theme now!

Ghastly...

Baked salmon and vegetable mash, drowned in gravy

(believe me the gravy is very much necessary XD)

A rare look into the staff cafeteria :)

Finally received my certificate for being a Peer Led Tutor at RCSI

- I covered Fundamentals in Biomedicine 1 (FUN1) with Joshua last semester :)

A huge burrito bowl at Burritos and Blues - a long-term craving satisfied! ^^

(the red dots are form the hot sauce you can see on the left)

Microbiology Tutorials at the ERC Integrated Lab of the RCSI Smurfit Building

6 hot wings with fries and salad - at "1784" in the main campus :)

DAY 758-767

Sept 30 - Oct 9

1) And just like that, another week has passed. A week which has seen me try my best to prepare for our "quiz" - worth only 20% for each module, but at this stage in our course, every single percentage counts. Tropical Medicine and GIHEP (Gastrointestinal Hepatology) were the two modules we were tested on, one after the other with no break in between.

2) Although it was only MCQs in this particular quiz, that didn't make it any easier, at least not for me. Sometimes it feels like no amount of studying would have prepared me for the type of questions asked. Anyway, as they say, that's a thing of the past. Now it's onwards to the next couple of tests in the coming month - REGUB (Renal, Endocrine, Genito-Urinary and Breast), and CNSLF (Central Nervous System, Locomotor, Forensics) - not to mention a pass/fail OSCE in between.

3) You'd expect a brief respite after racking our brains over those two exams in the morning - but as this is RCSI, nothing can be further from the truth. We had four hours worth of study after our exams, compounding to my misery of not having slept enough these couple of days. Plus as they've long started the other modules and I haven't really looked through any of them since I was too busy revising for this exam, I now have to play catch up for the rest of the week. As if I didn't have enough already haha.

4) Anyway, in a sort of ironic way, this is preparing us for reality. When it comes to patient wellbeing (and indeed, their lives), there is simply no excuse. The plus side is the semester seems to be flying by. It's hard to believe that we're deep into our second month, and about a third of the semester gone. Here's to more knowledge acquisition in the coming weeks/months, and to achieving our desired grades in our exams. That's it for this edition of my blog, and thanks as usual for checking in. Have a lovely week ahead, cheers! :D

Post exam "celebration" - lovely Beaumont staff cafeteria food :')

(l-r: Sarita, Joshua, Aliyah, Yours truly, Zi Yan)

Curry lamb with rice and carrots :)

Chicken and mushroom pie - this tasted really awesome :)

Vegetarian something with stuffing and carrots XD

My host mom Emma bought me this really fancy luxury chocolates after coming back from holiday!!<3<3<3

Fish and chips - a staple here in Ireland. Really fresh fish too ^^

And one more for the record :)

DAY 740-745

Sept 12-17

1) Yet another week has passed, and with it we've accomplished a lot. For a start, Fresher's Week is well and truly underway. In actual fact, it's a fortnight of activity rather than a week's! So everyday is something new for the newcomers to RCSI, with each club/society taking turns to organise events to get to know everyone better.

2) The RCSI Cancer Society (in which I am fortunate enough to be Co-President) organised its own event as well - our very own Pink Party! Held at Opium (restaurant, bar, nightclub), all ticket sales go to charity (specifically Breast Cancer Ireland in aid of research). Before the event, we were given a chance to promote our society during the Clubs and Societies Sign-Up Day - which coincidentally was held on the same day.

3) Unfortunately, Sign-Up Day coincided with a majority of our lectures (for the IC2 students). This meant that the initial setting up and manning of the booth was done by the other committee members (who did an amazing job!). After our lessons at 5.30pm, I took the next bus to Eden Quay, got dinner, then took over the hour or so. There was a really vibrant atmosphere at the Sports Hall, with all the fresh new faces, and also the beautiful decor all around. Not to mention all the food and snacks in between!

4) We had over a hundred register interest in our societies - a fact that I'm really proud of. We also managed to sell a lot of tickets, and with everything else in place, there was only one thing left to do. The party would start at around 11pm, and the last bus home for me (from the city to Beaumont where I live) would be 11.30pm. There was literally no use going there for 15 minutes and then leaving; either I go the full monty or not go at all.

5) Now those who know me well will know that I'm not the party-type of person, but I decided to go regardless, because a) I didn't want to not go to a party organised by a society which I was committee of; b) it would most likely be the last time I would experience this type of atmosphere in Dublin (I don't expect to do this in Malaysia). So there was still the problem of what to do with the transport back - then I asked my friends if anyone was willing to let me spend the night at their place.

6) I was indeed fortunate that I had such kind friends who let me stay over at their house, so with that sorted, I went for the party with everyone. It was all great craig, although I abstained from any alcohol (hepatotoxicity is a real side effect of the medication that I'm currently on, secondary to my abysmal tolerance XD). At around half past one, we hired a six-seater back to my friends' house, where I spent the night.

7) Here's the thing - we had class the next day, at nine! Despite my best efforts, I made it at half past, only to find the attendance sheets being filled up. Thankfully, the sheets were left unattended even after the lectures, which allowed for some tempering with... As we were off Friday, the rest of the week has been mostly just me studying in the library, trying to catch up with the week's lectures as usual. That'll be it for this edition of my blog, thanks for visiting as always, and have a lovely week ahead. Cheers! :)

Clubs & Socs Sign-Up Day 2018!!!

Our lovely booth :))

All the sweet treats (plus laptop on the right for people to sign up!)

No sign up no food XD (jkjk)

If that spot of light were any closer I could star in a Colgate advert...

At Opium

Thanks so much guys for letting me spend the night over! <3

Lunch with my Trinidad & Tobago friends

(l-r: Myself, Joshua, Ishtar, Sarita)

If there's ever been a more clear cut case of psychotic tendency, I've yet to see it XD

Grilled salmon with roast potatoes and mixed vegetables - what a great combo :)

Vegetarian pie, with peas and chips - and a generous dollop of mayo :))

Pasta bolognese with a huge portion of corn - I simply love the colour contrast here ^^