Exams, Exams and More Exams!

I officially finish (actually more like 3/4 finish) my exams! The last week was tough. All I was picturing myself doing while studying was me driving back to KK, shopping for new clothes, and worse yet, getting on the plane back KL! It was so hard to concentrate, plus with the lion dance troops playing the drums, it made it mere impossible to concentrate. *sigh*

To those unfamiliar with exams format in UMS, let me just bring you through. Well in 3rd year basically we go through 3 postings, medicine, surgery and obstetrics & gynaecology (women sickness la in other words). For every posting, we spend 8 weeks learning everything we can either through lectures, going to ward or clinics. Or in special circumstances operation theatre or delivery room. Proud to say I conducted delivery of 5 healthy baby boys! (Dad always tease me about having chinese mothers coming to me to have their babies delivered as they just love boys!) Coming from pre clinical to clinical was really a challenge for me. Cause you're like practically being thrown into the wards to wander and learn by yourself. It's like what the heck!

When I was in 2nd year, I never would have imagined myself going up to patients, asking what's wrong and just do examination on them. Whether it's their private part or not, you just examine them. Then to enter operation theatre, that was fun for me too! Call me crazy or what so ever, to see the doctor opening up a patient was exciting for me. Cause they are like breaching in, exploring what's underneath what you see. *Laughs* I've also never imagined myself doing all kinds of procedures, like vaginal examination, blood taking, branulla insertion etc. It's crazy at times to think that the patients really put so much trust in us to do all that!

Oh yea back to exam format. So basically we have written paper (MEQ and MCQ), viva (somewhat like an interview, OSCE as well as long and short case. For OSCE or like what I call station games, basically you run from one station to another in 5 mins time. And at each station you have to complete a task. Whether it's pictures or equipments or even performing basic procedures (catheter insertion, suturing), it's all mixed up la. A total of 10 stations and this is the last test which I have not completed now. Then today I just finished my long and short case. for long case basically is they put you in a room with a patient and you have to ask questions as well as perform physical examinations to come up with a diagnosis and a few differentials. It's hard and the adrenaline rush and panic you get. It's scary!

For short case then, basically we have 2 short cases, each lasting 10 minutes. for the first short case, it's short history taking where you are to ask patients questions and come up with a diagnosis. It's like so scary wey! To figure everything out in a mere 7 mins of asking and to be asked your diagnosis and points supporting. Wow! oh that's not tough yet, the 2nd short case is to ask you to perform examination in front of your examiners and present them. So even the slightest slip, your marks will be deducted. And later to be asked your diagnosis. Seriously, there's no higher adrenaline rush than this!

Since arriving in Sandakan, I've really grown fond of this place. It's really a nice town. Not too big but not too small. Just nice. But if you were to compare it in terms of recreations in big cities of course it loses out! It's very similar to Port Dickson so I find it very easy to fit in here. Who knows I just might serve here. Haha. Talking about working as houseman, I'm really worried now actually. With the number of universities producing doctors increasing by the day in Malaysia, not including those graduating from overseas, I'm afraid we just might get doctors overload in such a small country like Malaysia! We have now 30 (yes you heard me right, THIRTY!) universities with medical degree offering. And let's say on average, every university were to produce 100 grads per year, that's like 3000 new doctors. Plus minus those from overseas let's say 300, that's like 3300 already! There's not enough teaching hospitals and specialist to train us housemans to be equipped with the right skills and knowledge. Who would have thought that us graduating as doctors would one day worry about getting a job?

So that's all la. If I weren't in medical school also, I wouldn't have thought that this was how medical school operate. Haha. I'm like so free now! *Smiles* Let me just enjoy the moment before the dreaded study month comes and Professional Exam 1 comes along. Till the next post!

-KarLEen-