Conversing with Life: March 2006

Friday, March 31, 2006

Memories

I made a trip down to school, to return the library books I borrowed and also to clear out my locker.

Yes, the books were soon to be overdue and I wasn't going to read 'secrets of medicine' anymore. And the locker which I hardly used this past year really needed to be cleared.

On the way down, I realised, I won't be going down to school as a student much after I graduate. It started getting nostalgic. After spending the last 5 years in NUS, I feel like a 'lao jiao'. Which other faculty has such a long course?

Exploring the school compound has always been fun. Finding new ways to get to other places of NUS, jogging around the school area with Kwang How. Finding a new scenic spot to see the West Coast.

So I decided to take some photos of the memorable spots in the faculty.
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The medical library. The backbone of my memories of the faculty. Have been upgraded since. Really comfy chairs and new tables. The old ones were starting to creak really badly. Spent many hours in the chairs, mostly sleeping though.

The rows and rows of medical texts. Just standing among them makes me feel like my IQ has gone up a few points. So much knowledge in here, too bad I couldn't finish looking through even 10% of the texts they have.

The journals shelf. Where I get my monthly dose of New Scientist and the occasional glance at the New England Journal. Hopefully I will have many published articles one day.

The photocopying service at school is really good. The photocopying lady has a stash of medical notes / texts which you can photocopy easily. I have spent quite a tidy sum here.

The medical notice board, where the results of most of our end-of-posting tests and mbbs results are posted. I always approach this board with trepidation especially when checking results.

Besides it, is the new faculty cafe, coffee grounds. Really like the name, has such a ambiguous meaning, it's ingenious. Serves pretty good pasta at quite affordable prices. Is a great place for a little self-indulgence when needed.

My favourite studying bench, at least for this year. I used to read at the benches on the second level but for some reason it started getting crowded 2 years ago. This is a great spot, really windy and cool. And importantly, near the toilet and water cooler. That's really all a medical student needs when he's mugging.

The science canteen (now known as The Frontier), has the best mixed vegetable stall. It's really tasty and most importantly, cheap. I can get a really good meal for just $1.90.

And this is the overhead bridge which I have to cross to get to the bus stop. It only has ramps and I swear I walk half a kilometre just to cross the bridge.

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Have so much more nooks and crannies in school that I haven't taken shots of.

So many memories.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Life

Time: Post-MBBS

In the aftermath of such a major exam, I find myself in the last school holidays ever in my life. That is if all things goes well and I get a seat at this year's convocation.

Ahh... School holidays. Where all school-going children abandon all thoughts of homework and play themselves to absolute tiredness. If the holidays are long enough, they'll feel like going back to school before school starts.

I remember my school holidays. The primary school ones were filled with afternoons of void deck soccer, badminton and hours of FIFA 96.

The secondary school holidays were chock-full of remedial classes (I really suck at math) and maybe some more computer games.

In JC, it was just ECAs. I remember going back to school for council, OAC and every other ECA I joined. Holidays were just that.

Since taking up medicine in NUS, holidays were a rarity, especially after clinical years started. 1 or 2 weeks break were all we got here and there and it always happened before a major exam. It was a 'study break' (we study during the break).

But now, we don't have to study. We are supposed to have the blast of our lives. Having completed 5 years of undergraduate studies and with a lifetime of medical practice facing us, this is our time to go wild and crazy.

And I'm blogging. YEAH baby...

Okay, I do have plans. Just that they aren't crazy and wild.

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I stopped my favourite stress-buster, adrenaline sport almost a year before the MBBS. It's time I got back on it. Sure, I'm no longer as proficient as I was but I think I'll enjoy training myself again at the rock wall. Plus the rock-climbing scene has really changed with the new walls up at yishun. Looking for climbing companions too, please apply here.

And as always, I want to pick up a new sport. Just half a year ago, it was dragon-boating. Now, it's inline skating. I've actually tried this out a couple of years back but I never really got better. These are my old skates, trying to upgrade and planning to sell these. They are in good condition, only used a few times. Bought them for over a hundred, willing to let go for $50.

And having received the progress package recently, I had a little 'windfall'. I'll use the money for a new handphone and a weekend spa getaway. Thanks Singapore. It's the perfect graduation gift.

I've been trying to get back my fitness. I gained 5 kg over the exam period, the result of indiscriminate snacking and late night milos. Well, my brain needed the extra glucose. Too bad it didn't need the extra fat that came with it.

Run, run, run. Fastest way to lose weight. But I'm no longer keen on long-distance running. Will cap myself at 5km and maybe the occasional 10km.

And watching 'House MD' dvds are the perfect way to pass a rainy day. Not to mention it's addictive.

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There's so many things that I want to do. Yes, I have to do them to keep myself away from lounging at home and playing hentai games...

Visit science centre
Visit Sungei Buloh
I got 1 for 1 admission for snow city. Any takers?
Keen to play badminton, tennis
Seriously need to clean up my room
Get new clothes

I'll think of somemore. So much to do, so little time.

Jio me out guys!

Monday, March 27, 2006

MBBS Certified?

Viva list is out.

And I'm not on it.

I probably passed.

YESH!

Saturday, March 25, 2006

MBBS Experience

Final MBBS. The last professional exam in our undergraduate life. Sure, many doctors have said, "You have to fail yourself to fail the MBBS."; but nevertheless this has been the most stressful exam ever.

I've seen friends who cry after a bad clinical case, friends who suffer mental blocks and even panic attacks. The stress can really get to people. This is how stress ulcers develop.

I've had a okay experience. Didn't really feel like I got 'killed' by the examiners but also didn't feel like I 'wowed' them with my mediocre knowledge. Or at least I hope I have not forgotten all the bad stuff that happens and in a trance-like state, mistakenly thought I did all right.

I've gotten examiners with 'reputations', which made my heart skip a beat. Although some have surprisingly becomed nicer.
I've had a case where I couldn't pick up any sign on examination. Panicked there, first time I couldn't pick anything up. Paeds liver and spleen is really hard to palpate. Luckily given a chance to re-examine.
Made the patient whince in pain as I demostrated my examination skills in front of prof. Even as gentle as I could, the patient still whinced. I was devastated. Hopefully they'll give chance to students.
Was thrown off-track by some of the questioning by the examiners. My mind veered towards thinking the uncommon when the answer was obvious and staring me right in the face.
Finished a long case 10 minutes before time. Good or bad sign? I hope it's good...
Coming out from a case and realising your diagnosis is different from another student who had the same case is not a nice feeling. Although I stand firm and confident of my findings but the nagging feeling doesn't leave.
Apologise if anything was missed in the examination. Don't make up signs even though it may be tempting to do so.
Don't be afraid to cut the patient off and bring her back to the topic when she is side-tracking. Remember you have to present later, not the patient.
Talk confidently, don't rush your speech. Be logical and answer the question directly. Offer broad headings and show if you have any approaches.
Above all, stay calm!

Have I done enough to pass? Have I played this game of MBBS and won?

Viva list comes out Monday. Honestly I don't think I've done so badly to warrant a straight fail. Will I be exclaiming for joy this Monday or howling in anguish?

I only hope for one answer...

* the author sincerely hopes there is not epilogue or sequel to the above experience.*

Thursday, March 16, 2006

The interlude

Halfway point?
The calm before the storm?

This is where the stressful part begins.

Written papers are over, finally. 2 weeks of written papers, haven't had such a long exam period since the A' levels.

With at least 3 parts to each track (Medicine and Surgery), we were tested on every possible thing in medicine. Although mostly they were things we didn't expect (because they were uncommon).

"Common things occur commonly. When you see a bird, it is a sparrow, not a robin."

Apparently there are no robins in Singapore. The robins are all in the written papers.

I think the above quote only applies in clinical practice and I think it will serve me well for the clinical exams.

Med MCQs: I've always felt it to be tough, so it wasn't much of a surprise when I realised it was tough. Isoteric questions were asked and choices were close and difficult to distinguish.

Med Essays: Mostly do-able. Except the last question (might have screwed it up). Paeds seemed to be less demanding.

Med MEQs: Not too bad. Didn't manage to get all the investigations right but at least the topics were common clinical problems.

Med OSCE: The easiest paper of the lot. Was easier then the mock paper. Saving grace?

Surg Essays: Wrote like a mad man possessed. Some careless mistakes (didn't talk about history and physical in Qn1), unexpected focus on gynae and totally lost my nerve for the ortho question. Prognosis: bad...

Surg OSCE: Was still feeling down from the last paper. If anything, this paper helped sink me into depression. Tough brand-new slides, difficult questions, tight time limit. Did my best but I suspect will have a lot of mark deduction, especially if the marking is going to be Prof Lim Beng Hai's standard.

Surg MCQs: Maybe because this is the last paper, my mood was more upbeat. Questions were of moderate difficulty. Some plain simple, others a bit more tricky. Finished with a decidedly better mood.

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I've had good luck with the balloting.

Med adult long at CGH, and shorts at SGH and KKH.
Surg at AH.

Quite a good combination. Couldn't imagine better. It's nicer given that I'm familiar with the setup at SGH and CGH having done SIPs there, and paeds at KKH is better than NUH anytime.

Not too worried for surg clinicals. Just have to really brush up on my shorts.