Holy cow, a junior juz informed me dat we only had 7 single guys in our batch onli, our batch of 63 ppl. Crap, sum of us juz study, study, study...and 4got all about gettin a girl. Jeez, dats not a good thing! I thought damn hard of the guyz who were single just to dispute her, and i couldnt count up to 6! Now dats worryin...
J
Y2
TS
TL
ST
W
I cant think of the 7th fella, but heck, if u girls out there are lookin for handsome med students with charm and an attitude, plz come to IMU and study, we'll meet u when u get posted as a houseman (housegirl more like it) and we're already macho MO's throwin our weights around when the specialist is at home.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
A Useless Lecturer...and a Great Teacher
Haha, time for me bitch abit, let off some steam after a tension-filled exam week.
Recently got told off for smiling and apparently "laughing" at a patient during class by one tight-ass of a lecturer. What more, in front of our fellow elective students, wah, dem freakin embarassing. Outta de blue he looked to me and said, "Why are u smiling? I've seen u smilling all this time. Do u know ur disturbing the class? Whats so funny about the patient?"
He then spent the next 3.5 hours calling authors of various books, "not clinicians, they never go to ward..all that is wrong..." and correcting the dosages of TB medications in the CPG. Wow, he's suddenly smarter that the whole MOH commitee who made that CPG. Ah, i could have been doing better things, like studying desperately for my exams, rather than listen to someone brag about how great his knowledge is that it surpasses all textbooks. I list 2 interesting points he insisted that he was right:
Apparently, we also heard that he criticized one of our previous lecturer who we always looked up to. And using our lecturer's name as well, during class in front of students. Dats the biggest med ethics error to make: criticizing a fellow doctor (haha, that makes two of us!). Tsk tsk tsk, bad move, it may have been during just one class, but the whole uni knows about it edi. And of course, as with all rumors, it gets twisted up and added on to along the way, so it wasnt surprising how evil a picture was painted of him at the end of the receiving line.
Amazing, I've rarely met doctors who u can learn what NOT to be. What an arrogant tit. Ah, take ur damned degrees and shove it up ur stenosed butthole.
I believe every academic doctor has a heavy role to play. Not just to teach, but to inspire their students. Very hard to find such teachers, and I shall now give one of them their due appreciation here.
I still remember, back in sem6, i was walking up the stairs and bumped into this doctor with a waist pouch at level 4. Amusing to see doctors walking around with a waistpouch, reminded me of mum and dad. I always saw her eating at a place i eat across the street. Well, there was a piece of rubbish on the floor, and before I could pick it up, she bent down to pick it up and threw it into the bin. I was touched by such a simple and humble act. A doctor doing such thing in front of a medical student? Quite unheard of. Later, when I found out how big this "little" doctor was, i was even more touched. Funny, its the greatest teachers up there who are the humblest people of all.
True, she may have made many stinging comments, and we all fear her case presentation sessions (we'd stay up like mad trying to cover every patient in the whole ward), but every of her sessions was worth more than the RM31,000 we'd pump into every semester. Two things I gained during her sessions that have stayed with me till now.
1.
She inspired us on how to take an intelligent history, not just for the sake of presenting during class. How to carry out a very rigorous physical examination, and not having to take too much time. Practice, practice and practice. What you dont know, quickly go back to the textbook to reference, then return to the patient. Then, use ur history and PE to come to an intelligent diagnosis, not just shotgun ur way with a long mindless list of differentials. I found out that was a very effective way of studying medicine.
2.
And she demonstrated humility when in front of patients, treating them as true human beings, not some "case" for presentation. I was impressed by how she turned from a high-ranking doctor to a fellow human being when dealing with a patient (and how she turned back to being very, very sharp when turning back to us naive students :o).
I may have screwed up Paediatrics (i still hate it), but i think thats the most precious lessons i got from the posting, how to take a powerful history and do a thorough PE, and how to be humble. Everytime we met for class, she would always correct our techniques, trying to fine-tune our skills. Seldom have i bumped into a lecturer who would take great pains to raise us as future doctors.
Its rare to find such teachers. Best to learn as much as we can from them and be inspired. I'd bet 75% of all the knowledge we get here at med school we'd forget, but its the character that we've built thru being inspired by such great people that'd stay for the rest of our lives. Now dats worth all the RM270,000 our parents have invested for, to see their children grow up to become powerful characters.
I leave u with 2 of her quotes that have been my favorite:
And, yeah, examz are over, holz are here!
Recently got told off for smiling and apparently "laughing" at a patient during class by one tight-ass of a lecturer. What more, in front of our fellow elective students, wah, dem freakin embarassing. Outta de blue he looked to me and said, "Why are u smiling? I've seen u smilling all this time. Do u know ur disturbing the class? Whats so funny about the patient?"
He then spent the next 3.5 hours calling authors of various books, "not clinicians, they never go to ward..all that is wrong..." and correcting the dosages of TB medications in the CPG. Wow, he's suddenly smarter that the whole MOH commitee who made that CPG. Ah, i could have been doing better things, like studying desperately for my exams, rather than listen to someone brag about how great his knowledge is that it surpasses all textbooks. I list 2 interesting points he insisted that he was right:
1. On percussion, pleural effusion is dull, while solid masses are stony dull.
2. An empyema is a pleural effusion.
Apparently, we also heard that he criticized one of our previous lecturer who we always looked up to. And using our lecturer's name as well, during class in front of students. Dats the biggest med ethics error to make: criticizing a fellow doctor (haha, that makes two of us!). Tsk tsk tsk, bad move, it may have been during just one class, but the whole uni knows about it edi. And of course, as with all rumors, it gets twisted up and added on to along the way, so it wasnt surprising how evil a picture was painted of him at the end of the receiving line.
Amazing, I've rarely met doctors who u can learn what NOT to be. What an arrogant tit. Ah, take ur damned degrees and shove it up ur stenosed butthole.
I believe every academic doctor has a heavy role to play. Not just to teach, but to inspire their students. Very hard to find such teachers, and I shall now give one of them their due appreciation here.
I still remember, back in sem6, i was walking up the stairs and bumped into this doctor with a waist pouch at level 4. Amusing to see doctors walking around with a waistpouch, reminded me of mum and dad. I always saw her eating at a place i eat across the street. Well, there was a piece of rubbish on the floor, and before I could pick it up, she bent down to pick it up and threw it into the bin. I was touched by such a simple and humble act. A doctor doing such thing in front of a medical student? Quite unheard of. Later, when I found out how big this "little" doctor was, i was even more touched. Funny, its the greatest teachers up there who are the humblest people of all.
True, she may have made many stinging comments, and we all fear her case presentation sessions (we'd stay up like mad trying to cover every patient in the whole ward), but every of her sessions was worth more than the RM31,000 we'd pump into every semester. Two things I gained during her sessions that have stayed with me till now.
1.
She inspired us on how to take an intelligent history, not just for the sake of presenting during class. How to carry out a very rigorous physical examination, and not having to take too much time. Practice, practice and practice. What you dont know, quickly go back to the textbook to reference, then return to the patient. Then, use ur history and PE to come to an intelligent diagnosis, not just shotgun ur way with a long mindless list of differentials. I found out that was a very effective way of studying medicine.
2.
And she demonstrated humility when in front of patients, treating them as true human beings, not some "case" for presentation. I was impressed by how she turned from a high-ranking doctor to a fellow human being when dealing with a patient (and how she turned back to being very, very sharp when turning back to us naive students :o).
I may have screwed up Paediatrics (i still hate it), but i think thats the most precious lessons i got from the posting, how to take a powerful history and do a thorough PE, and how to be humble. Everytime we met for class, she would always correct our techniques, trying to fine-tune our skills. Seldom have i bumped into a lecturer who would take great pains to raise us as future doctors.
Its rare to find such teachers. Best to learn as much as we can from them and be inspired. I'd bet 75% of all the knowledge we get here at med school we'd forget, but its the character that we've built thru being inspired by such great people that'd stay for the rest of our lives. Now dats worth all the RM270,000 our parents have invested for, to see their children grow up to become powerful characters.
I leave u with 2 of her quotes that have been my favorite:
"I fail u in exams for ur sake. I fail u in the finals for the public's sake."
"We as doctors are both scientists, and humanists."
And, yeah, examz are over, holz are here!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tips: Pumping Petrol
I still remembered my SAM English teacher saying, "It's pump gas, not petrol." Ah, English.
Well, someone left an article about pumping gas on the desktop of the library computer. Here are the tips without the long-winded scientific explainations behind em:
Well, someone left an article about pumping gas on the desktop of the library computer. Here are the tips without the long-winded scientific explainations behind em:
- Fill up in the morning when the ground temperature is cold (colder petrol, denser petrol, ur car takes in less air).
- When filling up, do not squeeze too fast (pump handle has 3 modes, squeeze at fast mode, and petrol will turn to vapour on entering ur tank).
- Fill up when ur tank is already half full (petrol station storage tanks have an internal floating roof to minimize evaporation).
- Do not fill up when a fuel tanker is pumping into the petrol station storage tanks (the fuel underneath is being stirred around, most likely stirring up the debris and dirt at the bottom as well).
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Klang Exchange and Performance
11.30pm, warm and humid outside. Back from band practice. Today got new song, Rising Sun, its cute and cool at the same time. Played with Rainbow Choir, dem alot of children (about 50 i tink) singing and dancin along, kinda even cooler. Playin mostly bass parts, but still dem cool. First time see score, so play and play and play b4 rehearse with kids, blow so hard until giddy after every 20 or 30 bars. Haha, just changed reeds, dem hard, have to mature it again.
Tmrw have to wake up early for performance at Wisma Kebudayaan, opening ceremony for some exhibition. Last minute called up to perform, must be ever-ready to play music!
Paeds paper was a killer, got 2 out of 4 diagnosis right only. Sigh, most likely fail again. Swear i will not specialise in paeds next time. What did i do to kids in my past life to earn such bad karma? Did i sacrificed em atop ziggurats as an evil Mayan priest or sumthin?
Last Sat went down to Klang to exhange with the SGM Klang Kiboo Kotekitai and Music Inspiration Band, MIB (formerly known as Music Instructors Band). MIB has been 'assimilated' into RM gov band, so they've been mixed up with the other race, which have resulted in the overall standard being dragged down by certain players who are just paid to run the screwed up RM programme and have not a single iota of passion for playing music. MIB is a dem high standard band, from wat i hear when they played in past exchanges.
Me, Pak Kin (our bassoonist) and my other bass clarinetist were grouped with this idiot from RM, the other race. He bought his bass clarinet for only RM2000 over E-bay. Dats cheaper than a beginner's clarinet. The brand is called "Woodwind", made in China. Not dat i condemn things from China, but heck, i was expecting a Selmer or at least a Yamaha, not a woodwind instrument branded "Woodwind". Well, he came 5 hours late to our sectional, took his sweet time to set up and warm up, and bcuz he was older than us, didnt take us seriously. When he started to play, i knew he didnt know how to play the bass clarinet, let alone any reed instrument. He had the goldfish embochure, which meant his cheeks bulged out. He couldnt find the Eb key.
Pak Kin, my partner and I looked helplessly at each other. Who was goin to train this clown? Ah, 2 pairs of eyes were lookin at me. "Doctor, can u help our friend?"
So...
...I spent the next 1.5 hours outside the room tryin to correct his embochure and get him to play the right notes before our public performance in front of Klang members and non-members the next day. Barely played 1/5th of the 3-band-combine song with him. So this is what the gov money is spent on eh...
Sigh, i pity Mr. Lee when he conducts the MIB with all these jokers around. Hell, he and the MIB original conductor just didnt care and spoke mandarin during the 3 band combine rehearsals. And sigh, i was expecting to exchange with a skilled MIB bass clarinetist and learn some killer skills, not some clown from the gov. Wasted my time tryin to teach him. He didnt care about all the tips i shared with him about playing music, just kept playin the same mistakes over and over again. I wuz tryin like hell not to get angry, with all the Kiboo girls walkin past me. To hell with him.
Next day, he ffk'ed 3 hours b4 the actual performance. Mr.Lee walked up to me and asked, "Wanna play in the MIB?" Haha, what an (accidental) honor indeed! I had a bass solo part which the idiot kept messin up, so Mr.Lee asked me to play that 20 bars. Since he has been tutoring my band for the last few months, I went even further and volunteered to play both MIB performance pieces. "Wonderful!" he said. So i spent 30 minutes sight-reading and familarising myself with both pieces outside the hall during the dry rehearsal.
Right after band 2 was MIB performance, so on the way stage out, i u-turned and quickly went back up stage, so not time to change costume. I ended up with my white shirt and bowtie sittin in a sea of black shirts, so i was dem obvious to the audience. I enjoyed the songs so much , dat when my solo part came up, i played a damn beautiful tone. Problem is, I forgot to look at Mr.Lee when he changed conducting, so i continued in 4/4 time while the whole band played in 3/4. We clashed for 6 bars b4 i got my senses together and continued on. Haha, the MIB tuba player even came in to try and save me by playing my solo. Hopefully the audience didnt realise the blunder :o)
In total, i played 8 songs non-stop, 2 songs of which i have never seen b4 3 hours b4 performance. Dats 4/5 of 60 minutes of music. By the finale, I was already moderately cyanosed. Luckily no one at the back shouted, "Encore!". Haha, now im more confident with my sight-reading edi!
See if got ppl pirate our performance again, saw quite a few handphones being held up as i sneak-peeked at the crowds.
Gotta sleep now, nitez!
Tmrw have to wake up early for performance at Wisma Kebudayaan, opening ceremony for some exhibition. Last minute called up to perform, must be ever-ready to play music!
Paeds paper was a killer, got 2 out of 4 diagnosis right only. Sigh, most likely fail again. Swear i will not specialise in paeds next time. What did i do to kids in my past life to earn such bad karma? Did i sacrificed em atop ziggurats as an evil Mayan priest or sumthin?
Last Sat went down to Klang to exhange with the SGM Klang Kiboo Kotekitai and Music Inspiration Band, MIB (formerly known as Music Instructors Band). MIB has been 'assimilated' into RM gov band, so they've been mixed up with the other race, which have resulted in the overall standard being dragged down by certain players who are just paid to run the screwed up RM programme and have not a single iota of passion for playing music. MIB is a dem high standard band, from wat i hear when they played in past exchanges.
Me, Pak Kin (our bassoonist) and my other bass clarinetist were grouped with this idiot from RM, the other race. He bought his bass clarinet for only RM2000 over E-bay. Dats cheaper than a beginner's clarinet. The brand is called "Woodwind", made in China. Not dat i condemn things from China, but heck, i was expecting a Selmer or at least a Yamaha, not a woodwind instrument branded "Woodwind". Well, he came 5 hours late to our sectional, took his sweet time to set up and warm up, and bcuz he was older than us, didnt take us seriously. When he started to play, i knew he didnt know how to play the bass clarinet, let alone any reed instrument. He had the goldfish embochure, which meant his cheeks bulged out. He couldnt find the Eb key.
Pak Kin, my partner and I looked helplessly at each other. Who was goin to train this clown? Ah, 2 pairs of eyes were lookin at me. "Doctor, can u help our friend?"
So...
...I spent the next 1.5 hours outside the room tryin to correct his embochure and get him to play the right notes before our public performance in front of Klang members and non-members the next day. Barely played 1/5th of the 3-band-combine song with him. So this is what the gov money is spent on eh...
Sigh, i pity Mr. Lee when he conducts the MIB with all these jokers around. Hell, he and the MIB original conductor just didnt care and spoke mandarin during the 3 band combine rehearsals. And sigh, i was expecting to exchange with a skilled MIB bass clarinetist and learn some killer skills, not some clown from the gov. Wasted my time tryin to teach him. He didnt care about all the tips i shared with him about playing music, just kept playin the same mistakes over and over again. I wuz tryin like hell not to get angry, with all the Kiboo girls walkin past me. To hell with him.
Next day, he ffk'ed 3 hours b4 the actual performance. Mr.Lee walked up to me and asked, "Wanna play in the MIB?" Haha, what an (accidental) honor indeed! I had a bass solo part which the idiot kept messin up, so Mr.Lee asked me to play that 20 bars. Since he has been tutoring my band for the last few months, I went even further and volunteered to play both MIB performance pieces. "Wonderful!" he said. So i spent 30 minutes sight-reading and familarising myself with both pieces outside the hall during the dry rehearsal.
Right after band 2 was MIB performance, so on the way stage out, i u-turned and quickly went back up stage, so not time to change costume. I ended up with my white shirt and bowtie sittin in a sea of black shirts, so i was dem obvious to the audience. I enjoyed the songs so much , dat when my solo part came up, i played a damn beautiful tone. Problem is, I forgot to look at Mr.Lee when he changed conducting, so i continued in 4/4 time while the whole band played in 3/4. We clashed for 6 bars b4 i got my senses together and continued on. Haha, the MIB tuba player even came in to try and save me by playing my solo. Hopefully the audience didnt realise the blunder :o)
In total, i played 8 songs non-stop, 2 songs of which i have never seen b4 3 hours b4 performance. Dats 4/5 of 60 minutes of music. By the finale, I was already moderately cyanosed. Luckily no one at the back shouted, "Encore!". Haha, now im more confident with my sight-reading edi!
See if got ppl pirate our performance again, saw quite a few handphones being held up as i sneak-peeked at the crowds.
Gotta sleep now, nitez!
Friday, April 4, 2008
An Honor to a Fellow Colleague
Life is fleeting.
I still remember Dr.Khor, UM graduate, houseman of HTJ for the last 8 months, when i first met him back in Obstetrics posting. He had arrived to start work at the labor room about the same time i was posted there. A friendly chap, especially to the IMU students. Always joked around with us, so it was fun tagging behind him. He gave me lotsa of chances to set lines (of which most of em he had to redo after i mess up), taught abit of knowledge to me (which was not the same as the textbooks) and i assisted in one delivery with him. That 1 week was memorable, waiting alongside him for mums to deliver (which happened all at once, late at night). Its true then that at times of stress and crisis, bonds of friendship become stronger.
I bumped into him again in Surgery 6 months later. Ah, it was a precious 4 weeks i spent with him then. We always walked up to him with the same question "Dr. Khor, any interesting cases in ward today?" And he would not hesitate to point out a few, as if he was ready for our arrival everyday.
It was a Weds that i stayed back with him and a few juniors. 3 MVAs had just arrived in the dim-lit surgical ward, one with his face in pieces. Dr.Khor was the only houseman in the ward at that time, so he was frantically sewing up the patient's face while awaiting the arrival of 2 more from casualty. With the bad lighting and getting the suture mixed up with the hair, i took turns with 1 junior to hold up 2 pen torches so that Dr.Khor could see. Reminds me of the days i spent holding the lamp with the broken fixture for him to repair an episiotomy back in the labor room. Dat night, he oso gave me the chance to do my first cathetherisation (on a "live" model). Unfortunately, i screwed up with the sterility process and such, again he had to undo my mess. Well, in the end, the catheter went in, and i returned to helping to hold the torch for the rest of the night. A memorable night indeed.
The last words we ever exchanged was after my surgical exam. "How was ur exam?" "Bad shape." "Dun wurry, no problem wan." "Haha, thanks Dr.Khor. See you around!"
How shocking it was to hear he had passed away in an accident 3 days later.
How sad, when u think about the times u witness a resuscitation succeed in the AnE dept, or even helped out in one, and managed to bring patient back from near death. Dr.Khor had probably helped to save many patients' life. It must be really unfair that his own couldnt be saved.
Even doctors, no matter how much good deed is done, are not immortal.
We musnt let his death be in vain. Strive to work hard, and continue in the wake of Dr.Khor's calling. His mission in life. Medicine beckons.
Life and death is a tough issue to talk about. Buddhism tells of the eternity of life, of passing from one life to another continuously. The karma u have created in this lifetime will surely bear fruit in the next, and I pray that i can work with u again, Dr.Khor, in the near future, in ur new life. Surely u will return to this honorable calling again!
Working hard to carry on ur calling, i pledge.
I still remember Dr.Khor, UM graduate, houseman of HTJ for the last 8 months, when i first met him back in Obstetrics posting. He had arrived to start work at the labor room about the same time i was posted there. A friendly chap, especially to the IMU students. Always joked around with us, so it was fun tagging behind him. He gave me lotsa of chances to set lines (of which most of em he had to redo after i mess up), taught abit of knowledge to me (which was not the same as the textbooks) and i assisted in one delivery with him. That 1 week was memorable, waiting alongside him for mums to deliver (which happened all at once, late at night). Its true then that at times of stress and crisis, bonds of friendship become stronger.
I bumped into him again in Surgery 6 months later. Ah, it was a precious 4 weeks i spent with him then. We always walked up to him with the same question "Dr. Khor, any interesting cases in ward today?" And he would not hesitate to point out a few, as if he was ready for our arrival everyday.
It was a Weds that i stayed back with him and a few juniors. 3 MVAs had just arrived in the dim-lit surgical ward, one with his face in pieces. Dr.Khor was the only houseman in the ward at that time, so he was frantically sewing up the patient's face while awaiting the arrival of 2 more from casualty. With the bad lighting and getting the suture mixed up with the hair, i took turns with 1 junior to hold up 2 pen torches so that Dr.Khor could see. Reminds me of the days i spent holding the lamp with the broken fixture for him to repair an episiotomy back in the labor room. Dat night, he oso gave me the chance to do my first cathetherisation (on a "live" model). Unfortunately, i screwed up with the sterility process and such, again he had to undo my mess. Well, in the end, the catheter went in, and i returned to helping to hold the torch for the rest of the night. A memorable night indeed.
The last words we ever exchanged was after my surgical exam. "How was ur exam?" "Bad shape." "Dun wurry, no problem wan." "Haha, thanks Dr.Khor. See you around!"
How shocking it was to hear he had passed away in an accident 3 days later.
How sad, when u think about the times u witness a resuscitation succeed in the AnE dept, or even helped out in one, and managed to bring patient back from near death. Dr.Khor had probably helped to save many patients' life. It must be really unfair that his own couldnt be saved.
Even doctors, no matter how much good deed is done, are not immortal.
We musnt let his death be in vain. Strive to work hard, and continue in the wake of Dr.Khor's calling. His mission in life. Medicine beckons.
Life and death is a tough issue to talk about. Buddhism tells of the eternity of life, of passing from one life to another continuously. The karma u have created in this lifetime will surely bear fruit in the next, and I pray that i can work with u again, Dr.Khor, in the near future, in ur new life. Surely u will return to this honorable calling again!
Working hard to carry on ur calling, i pledge.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Fei Yang Symphonic Band: Pirated Concert Videos?
Haha, these were listed on my band forum as "pirated", but hey, any public publicity on youtube goes a long way in the long run! Kudos to the unknown user who posted em :o)
These were from last year's concert (June 2007), u cant stop ppl from recordin ur concert, but what the heck, ur not chargin anywayz.
A medley of Carpenters songs, quite good with a few mistakes, we've played the song for like, the hundreth time edi, haha. Posted by the guest electric guitarist, a Soka friend who we invited from outside to join our concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtUhpHs1-80&feature=related
Chinese translation of the title is "Cute Rose" (Wo Ke Ai De Mei Kwey Hwa, i think). Cute piece that would always get the older generations swayin to the bass beat. Heheh, we basses get to play the first few sexy notes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt7CUqHbYAg
Our first debut of Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest. Quite a tough piece, even for the bass parts. Even Mr.Lee din dare to conduct very fast, scard we cudnt catch up. Not a very good reception from the audience, but heck, we still love the song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SIQnlJ7sCc
And further searches in YouTube revealed videos from a Penang Exchange, 2 years ago during the sem7 Paediatrics posting. Conducted by a famous maestro, kinda like the "consultant" equivalent of a conductor.
Beautiful piece of Colors of the Wind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuCEfYLINWw&feature=related
Don Pedro, a mexican piece, i tink. Never really found out what the song was about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep2kk9HLT-w&feature=related
And finally, an encore piece by an impromptu "conductor", a medley from the movie Lilo and Stitch, always our band favorite when it comes to blastin aimlessly :o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY2ahzmqKPA&feature=related
And they keep tellin us at each concert, "No recording allowed!"
Enjoyz!
These were from last year's concert (June 2007), u cant stop ppl from recordin ur concert, but what the heck, ur not chargin anywayz.
A medley of Carpenters songs, quite good with a few mistakes, we've played the song for like, the hundreth time edi, haha. Posted by the guest electric guitarist, a Soka friend who we invited from outside to join our concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtUhpHs1-80&feature=related
Chinese translation of the title is "Cute Rose" (Wo Ke Ai De Mei Kwey Hwa, i think). Cute piece that would always get the older generations swayin to the bass beat. Heheh, we basses get to play the first few sexy notes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt7CUqHbYAg
Our first debut of Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest. Quite a tough piece, even for the bass parts. Even Mr.Lee din dare to conduct very fast, scard we cudnt catch up. Not a very good reception from the audience, but heck, we still love the song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SIQnlJ7sCc
And further searches in YouTube revealed videos from a Penang Exchange, 2 years ago during the sem7 Paediatrics posting. Conducted by a famous maestro, kinda like the "consultant" equivalent of a conductor.
Beautiful piece of Colors of the Wind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuCEfYLINWw&feature=related
Don Pedro, a mexican piece, i tink. Never really found out what the song was about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep2kk9HLT-w&feature=related
And finally, an encore piece by an impromptu "conductor", a medley from the movie Lilo and Stitch, always our band favorite when it comes to blastin aimlessly :o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY2ahzmqKPA&feature=related
And they keep tellin us at each concert, "No recording allowed!"
Enjoyz!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Medical Specialties - The Pays and Competiveness
1pm, lazy cloudy Friday. Today all the lecturers and staff at uni have gone to Shanghai for their annual holiday trip, so declared official holiday.
Just finished Surgery clinical exam yesterday. Got Mr.MTC for exam, wah, very bad if get academician for exam, cuz his basics are dem strong, can question u anything under the sun. Case was a perforated gastric (or mebe duodenal) ulcer, post-op with long laparotomic scar runnin down the middle of his six packs. Chinese gentleman, 44 year old, presented with acute and worsening epigastric pain. Couldnt speak english, me no understand chinese, tried to ask for pt change but was told to 'try' and clerk in Bahasa Melayu. So I stammered in mix of Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay and even abit of Hokkien. Very disabling to take history from pt who can only speak Chinese, some more in 20 minutes, den rush thru physical exam. Presented a poor history. Missed out alot on the investigations and post-op management/follow-up since wasnt given time to prepare b4 presenting. Totally stunned when Mr.MTC asked about stomach acid physiology, completely left dat behind in Bukit Jalil.
Mr.MTC invited us down to the cafeteria to breakfast with him after our class, the day b4 our exams. He mentioned about continuously developing urself as a doctor, which is why he came to our uni, but found dat there was not much development option for him here. I agree with dat. To become stagnant in ur medical education after uv qualified wud mean a boring life, so must continue to study. He also talked about getting into the masters program in Malaysia. Yup, British FRCS is still not recognised in Msia, so have to take local surgery training.
Acceptance into the local program at either UKM, UPM or UM (i think some are phasing out post-graduate programmes edi, couldnt remember what MCT mentioned) requires u to, in addition to passing an entrance exam, show alot of initiative in wanting to take up surgery. Electives, CMEs, psotings, doing well in exams, taking other degrees etc. all show ur interest. Dat, with a good letter of reference from ur senior consultants, would clinch ur entry into the 5-year program, but only after uv finished ur 2 year HO and 3 year MO in the ministry of hell (MOH), so by the time ur a surgeon, uv past ur 30s. Which is why in medicine and other fields, MOs quickly go for MRCP and their specialities abroad, which is recognised in Msia.
Borrowed the Lange medical specialty book. It's based on US statistic, but i think they would reflect the medical scene here abit. They call post-gradutate training in the US as residency if im not mistaken, and HO training as internship.
Here are the competitiveness of getting into a residency program based on the rejection ("unmatched") rates (in % of applications) in the US in 2002. Cant find the latest one online. It shows the difficultness of matching into that programme, oso reflects the number of doctors rushing for it.
Extremely Competitive
Plastic Surgery - 23.5
Opthalmology - 22.0
Urology - 20.0
Radiation Oncology - 17.9
Dermatology - 16.1
Very Competitive
Neurosurgery - 15.0
ENT - 15.0
Orthopedic surgery - 14.9
Radiology - 11.1
AnE - 6.5
Competitive
General surgery - 5.4
Anesthesiology - 5.2
OnG - 4.3
Psychiatry - 4.3
Neurology - 3.0
Less Competitive
Rehabilitation - 2.7
Pathology - 2.1
Family medicine - 1.9 (wah, so not competitive meh...)
Internal medicine - 1.6
Pediatrics - 1.3
Everyone loves to know how much a specialty earns (money makes the world go around), so I've oso extracted the median compensation (which i assume is the annual average salary in US dollars, since its the only money thingy of each chapter) for each specialty based on 2002 statistics and re-arranged em.
But remember, medicine in the Us is mostly a private thingy, whereas in Msia, everyone in the government gets about the same amount of pay. If u want to earn this salary, go into private practice. Oso, they got more plastic surgeons over there than here, so of course, the pay here could be much higher. And this is US pay, not directly proportionate to Msian pay, which explains why med students abroad dun wan to come back after qualifying.
I din include some really sub-specialties (retinal surgery, endocinologic gynecology etc.) cuz i dun tink they exist in Msia yet, but their pay is much higher than what the general specialty gets.
Spinal Surgery
$420,660.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
$401,440.
Joint Replacement Orthopedic Surgery
$400,017.
Neurosurgery
$391,250.
Interventional Radiology
$356,000
Orthopedic Surgery
$324,754.
Radiation Oncology
$303,750
Diagnostic Radiology
$302,704
Cardiology
$287,163
Vascular Surgery
$286,286
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
$282,825
Anesthesiology
$278,964
Urology
$276,798
GI Surgery
$277,441.
Pediatric Surgery
$270,593.
General Surgery
$255,304.
ENT
$253, 971.
GI
$246,663.
Opththalmology
$240,265.
OnG
$230,804.
Pathology
$221,242
Dermatology
$220,766.
Pulmonary Medicine/Critical Care
$213,483.
Hematology/Oncology
$210,000.
Nephrology
$205,000.
AnE
$204,519.
Neonatology
$201,702.
Neurology
$181,689.
Child Psychiatry
$172,107.
Rehabilitation Medicine
$171,549
Rheumatology
$167,007.
Endocrinology
$166,929
Infectious Disease
$166,156.
Psychiatry
$158,275
Geriatrics
$152,260
General Internal Medicine (i tink its with ur basic MRCP)
$150,534.
Pediatrics
$149,429
Family Medicine
$145,675.
Msia government pay doctors based on their U levels. HO start off at U41, which is about RM2,800 and add all the on-call and some weird allowances (entertainment allowance?), it totals to about RM4,000. MOs now get RM6,000 based on recent news. Specialists go to U48, whereas consultants are at U52 and HODs at U54. Highest u can go is around RM10,000 i tink, with extra pay if ur datuk, do extra admin work, research and etc.
Thus everyone gets about the same pay in the gov, whether ur a cardiothoracic surgeon who's half-dead in the OT at the middle of god-knows what time in the morning, or a radiologist sleeping with the cardiothoracic surgeon's wife in the on-call rooms in the opposite block.
Not very attractive when u know that an ortho surgeon in private practice can earn around RM120,000 a month. Even a "retarded" one can earn about RM80,000.
But i think in the end, it depends on where ur interest lies. U can be making millions a year and giving the tax-collectors a field day, but if u hate ur job, u can be the unhappiest person on this planet. The list is to show u whether u think the job is worth the amount of effort u put in, which u must then applaud the doctors who stay back in the government to work for the sake of the patients who cannot afford private medical care.
Just finished Surgery clinical exam yesterday. Got Mr.MTC for exam, wah, very bad if get academician for exam, cuz his basics are dem strong, can question u anything under the sun. Case was a perforated gastric (or mebe duodenal) ulcer, post-op with long laparotomic scar runnin down the middle of his six packs. Chinese gentleman, 44 year old, presented with acute and worsening epigastric pain. Couldnt speak english, me no understand chinese, tried to ask for pt change but was told to 'try' and clerk in Bahasa Melayu. So I stammered in mix of Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay and even abit of Hokkien. Very disabling to take history from pt who can only speak Chinese, some more in 20 minutes, den rush thru physical exam. Presented a poor history. Missed out alot on the investigations and post-op management/follow-up since wasnt given time to prepare b4 presenting. Totally stunned when Mr.MTC asked about stomach acid physiology, completely left dat behind in Bukit Jalil.
Mr.MTC invited us down to the cafeteria to breakfast with him after our class, the day b4 our exams. He mentioned about continuously developing urself as a doctor, which is why he came to our uni, but found dat there was not much development option for him here. I agree with dat. To become stagnant in ur medical education after uv qualified wud mean a boring life, so must continue to study. He also talked about getting into the masters program in Malaysia. Yup, British FRCS is still not recognised in Msia, so have to take local surgery training.
Acceptance into the local program at either UKM, UPM or UM (i think some are phasing out post-graduate programmes edi, couldnt remember what MCT mentioned) requires u to, in addition to passing an entrance exam, show alot of initiative in wanting to take up surgery. Electives, CMEs, psotings, doing well in exams, taking other degrees etc. all show ur interest. Dat, with a good letter of reference from ur senior consultants, would clinch ur entry into the 5-year program, but only after uv finished ur 2 year HO and 3 year MO in the ministry of hell (MOH), so by the time ur a surgeon, uv past ur 30s. Which is why in medicine and other fields, MOs quickly go for MRCP and their specialities abroad, which is recognised in Msia.
Borrowed the Lange medical specialty book. It's based on US statistic, but i think they would reflect the medical scene here abit. They call post-gradutate training in the US as residency if im not mistaken, and HO training as internship.
Here are the competitiveness of getting into a residency program based on the rejection ("unmatched") rates (in % of applications) in the US in 2002. Cant find the latest one online. It shows the difficultness of matching into that programme, oso reflects the number of doctors rushing for it.
Extremely Competitive
Plastic Surgery - 23.5
Opthalmology - 22.0
Urology - 20.0
Radiation Oncology - 17.9
Dermatology - 16.1
Very Competitive
Neurosurgery - 15.0
ENT - 15.0
Orthopedic surgery - 14.9
Radiology - 11.1
AnE - 6.5
Competitive
General surgery - 5.4
Anesthesiology - 5.2
OnG - 4.3
Psychiatry - 4.3
Neurology - 3.0
Less Competitive
Rehabilitation - 2.7
Pathology - 2.1
Family medicine - 1.9 (wah, so not competitive meh...)
Internal medicine - 1.6
Pediatrics - 1.3
Everyone loves to know how much a specialty earns (money makes the world go around), so I've oso extracted the median compensation (which i assume is the annual average salary in US dollars, since its the only money thingy of each chapter) for each specialty based on 2002 statistics and re-arranged em.
But remember, medicine in the Us is mostly a private thingy, whereas in Msia, everyone in the government gets about the same amount of pay. If u want to earn this salary, go into private practice. Oso, they got more plastic surgeons over there than here, so of course, the pay here could be much higher. And this is US pay, not directly proportionate to Msian pay, which explains why med students abroad dun wan to come back after qualifying.
I din include some really sub-specialties (retinal surgery, endocinologic gynecology etc.) cuz i dun tink they exist in Msia yet, but their pay is much higher than what the general specialty gets.
Spinal Surgery
$420,660.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
$401,440.
Joint Replacement Orthopedic Surgery
$400,017.
Neurosurgery
$391,250.
Interventional Radiology
$356,000
Orthopedic Surgery
$324,754.
Radiation Oncology
$303,750
Diagnostic Radiology
$302,704
Cardiology
$287,163
Vascular Surgery
$286,286
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
$282,825
Anesthesiology
$278,964
Urology
$276,798
GI Surgery
$277,441.
Pediatric Surgery
$270,593.
General Surgery
$255,304.
ENT
$253, 971.
GI
$246,663.
Opththalmology
$240,265.
OnG
$230,804.
Pathology
$221,242
Dermatology
$220,766.
Pulmonary Medicine/Critical Care
$213,483.
Hematology/Oncology
$210,000.
Nephrology
$205,000.
AnE
$204,519.
Neonatology
$201,702.
Neurology
$181,689.
Child Psychiatry
$172,107.
Rehabilitation Medicine
$171,549
Rheumatology
$167,007.
Endocrinology
$166,929
Infectious Disease
$166,156.
Psychiatry
$158,275
Geriatrics
$152,260
General Internal Medicine (i tink its with ur basic MRCP)
$150,534.
Pediatrics
$149,429
Family Medicine
$145,675.
Msia government pay doctors based on their U levels. HO start off at U41, which is about RM2,800 and add all the on-call and some weird allowances (entertainment allowance?), it totals to about RM4,000. MOs now get RM6,000 based on recent news. Specialists go to U48, whereas consultants are at U52 and HODs at U54. Highest u can go is around RM10,000 i tink, with extra pay if ur datuk, do extra admin work, research and etc.
Thus everyone gets about the same pay in the gov, whether ur a cardiothoracic surgeon who's half-dead in the OT at the middle of god-knows what time in the morning, or a radiologist sleeping with the cardiothoracic surgeon's wife in the on-call rooms in the opposite block.
Not very attractive when u know that an ortho surgeon in private practice can earn around RM120,000 a month. Even a "retarded" one can earn about RM80,000.
But i think in the end, it depends on where ur interest lies. U can be making millions a year and giving the tax-collectors a field day, but if u hate ur job, u can be the unhappiest person on this planet. The list is to show u whether u think the job is worth the amount of effort u put in, which u must then applaud the doctors who stay back in the government to work for the sake of the patients who cannot afford private medical care.
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