First Day at Work

I walked into the hospital WITHOUT my peach colour stethoscope hanging around my neck, my pen torch clipped on my lanyard, and my tendon hammer hidden in one of my pockets. And no pager. That felt awesome.


The head of department gave me a tour in the lab and introduced me to the staff, mostly scientists and technicians. First time in my life, I am going to work with non nurses. I was introduced as the "new new registrar"as I am fresh and I have zero experience in pathology. I think it would have been better if I was introduced as the "intern".


What's better? I have my own desk and microscope. Although technically, the desk belongs to the registrar who is currently on maternity leave. But thanks to her and her husband, I was offered this rotation and escaped orthopaedic :D (Gosh, I can't imagine myself holding a fat leg in ortho surgery...I will definitely faint from having postural hypotension)


Oh guess what's best? It's when the PA says "MET call...Ward xx..Bed xx...xx unit".
That was the moment! The moment that I was waiting for...
I think I am going to be excited about this for at least a week :D


Basically, I have just been tagging along the registrar and watching cut ups mainly. I joined the surgical pathology meeting and the slides showing sessions. I was quite amused when I saw helicobacter pylori under the microscope. Other than that, I have no idea what they were talking about... It will take time for things to make sense.


I had lunch, I actually sat down to have lunch for a whole 45 min. The reg managed to finish cutting up all the specimens and we left work on time at 5pm.


There will be a lot of after hour and weekend study, otherwise there is no way to pass the exams. I know I have to do this. If pathology can't interest me, nothing in medicine will.  

最后倒数

明天将是我的最后一个ED shift。
面临下星期开始新的工作环境，我抱着很多期望。因为，我把那儿看成是岸，把这里当成是火海。逃离是我的选择。
对岸适不适合我生存我不知道。
有点忐忑不安，但依然兴奋居多。
这三年是得过且过，没有目标，不必读书考试，没什么压力。
这样的生活就要结束了，有点不舍。
但总不能继续蹉跎吧！
得拿出想当年啃书的那把劲继续奋斗。
五年而已！三个考试而已！不要怕，不要怕！

Counting Down My Shifts

I have done all my night shifts
I have done all my weekends
I have 6 more shifts to go
Then I will enter a whole new world


I told people I am going to do pathology next
And their first response is always "Why?"
"Do you hate people?"
"You wont be talking to anyone then?"
"Why pathology? You will make a good physician..."


I tried really hard to think why I really want to do pathology...
I came up with various random reasons that have struck me at some point
Medicine these days is relying too much on investigation...no matter how great your clinical examination skill is, it is really just a show. Are you able to convince yourself not to order that blood test or imaging if they are readily available? No. All those CT brains for the old patients with a fall with no focal neurology. All those troponins for ladies and gentlemen boys and girls with chest pain. All those VQ scan/ CTPA for someone who has chest pain with the minor-est risk factors for PE following negative troponins. All those vasculitic screens, autoimmune screens for people with no real signs or symptoms...


Medicine these days deal with too much "holistic medicine" crap... whatever... Sir, I only feel like fixing your broken bone, can I leave your depression to someone else? Maám, we are done with the medical care for your mother, she needs to go home today, I don't care if the aircond at her home is functioning or not... I know I wont make a good physician.


I cannot present cases the way physicians like me to present. I tried to fit in but I don't belong. I just want to tell you everything I know about the patient they way I want to.


I like people in general, but not to the extent of dealing with people's psychosocial problems and fighting with various departments and parties every day.

I like to sleep at night and work during the day. Shift works just make me feel sick. I hate being on call. The ringtone just gives me recurrent palpitations. I think I wont last long if I have to be always on call.


And of course I would choose the colourful pathology over the black and white radiology :)

Pathology here I come

I will embark on this journey
At least 5 years of training
To become an anatomical pathologist!

Can't believe,
In a bit less than 2 months time,
I actually DON'T need to see patient anymore! But only a small piece of them.

It's true that I will miss all those pleasantly confused elderly patients,
The specimen won't thank me for diagnosing them,
The owner of the piece of tissue won't even know I exist,


But I still think it will be awesome to JUST deal with diseases :D
And understand things under the microscope that MOST doctors don't have any idea what we are talking about :P

别了 USM 368

陪了我们六年多的USM368，完成了它毕生的使命

救护人员拍下的车祸现场

非常幸运的丝毫无损，顺手救了我们车里的其中一只龟仔，龟仔右脸烧伤了

车子返魂乏术，当掉了。

捡回了性命，也捡回了车内的物件，它们现在无家可归。

庆幸的，人没事就好。其他的车主也没受伤。
车子毁了可以买新的，生命却没有take 2。

以前偶尔听闻医生夜班下班回家发生意外，从来没有人会想过这件事会发生在自己或身边的人身上。很多上夜班或轮班性质的工作也同样带这这个风险，一个没有在工作和约上表明的风险。上班累了只想赶紧回家洗澡睡觉，通常很难说服自己先睡一会再回家。

这，算是给生命上了一堂宝贵的课。
还是活在当下好好珍惜最好。
大家请小心驾驶。