Enter O&G

Retrospective Entry:

After settling a few more video orientations, we took the shuttle to Likas Hospital to start work. Then we met Dr. SuthaGar.



Initially we thought of asking for a few days grace to settle 'stuff'. But once he heard that we already had a place to stay (even though he also heard we did not have any of our own transportations), we started tagging (work) straight away.

I was put in the obstetric ward. Everyone so busy, so alien, I was lost. I remembered getting scolded for just standing around and not doing anything by a fellow senior houseman. I was taken a back because truth was, I really didn't know what to do, how to start.

I felt really bad, not knowing what to do...

It was so different from med school. I remembered depression slowly creeping in... I wanna go back home...

But eventually with a few helpful colleagues I began to learn the ropes. Informed of some MOs to avoid pissing off and to look out for. And learn the routine life as a houseman.

Welcome to becoming a doctor.

Tagging in O&G lasted for 2 weeks, assuming that you passed the tagging assessment. It was med school exams all over. And tagging last til 11pm alternate with 9pm. We were required to deliver 10 babies, assist 3 C-secs, and repair 3 episiotomies.

Sad thing was, there were times when we finished at 11 but still went back at 1am as we didn't have our own cars then... We depended on a 'pirate', drebar for hire charging RM 20 for the ride back only to wake-up again at 5.30 am to start work again at 6.30am... For some of us, we couldn't sleep well either due to constant nightmares of hordes of babies coming out...

Somehow we survived the ordeal. All of us studied what we needed to and passed our assessment. But that was only the beginning of the toughest posting in KK.

Tips:

- For tagging assessment, know your CTGs and Obs emergencies. These are basic knowledge needed when you are oncall.
- NEVER piss your staff nurses. They are your best-friends and potential worst enemies.
- First postings are hard but tough it out and you'll survive. Don't go through it alone. If you came alone make new friends.

New World

Retrospective Entry:

I felt like an immigrant the first few days I was here.

When I first arrived I had mom and a hotel room. When mom left, I still had the hotel room but we just had to find a more permanent place to stay.

I was lucky that I had Nadhir, Jazmi and later Nurliyana. (poor unfortunate souls, unlike me, was thrown to KK, Sabah for their housemanship [Liyana didn't stay with us ok, she managed on her own:p]) around which made life less lonely. We stayed at the hotel a few days longer depending on Pak Tri (our cab driver remember?) to drive us around town, back and forth to the hospital to settle first few days of orientation.

We were also lucky we had Jai, our senior by a year who also happen to be in A&E rotation where their shift rotation makes it easier for him to help us out by showing places and lending his car.

KK didn't provide any permanent quarters for their houseman. Even their hospital looks like something out of Silent Hill. The only quarters at a nearby flat which they provided for a few days looked like something out of a Japanese ghost story where Toshio can just suddenly come out. We spent only one night.


All the while we have been looking through newpapers, mudah.com.my, advertisements on boards for any place to stay.

Again thank God Jai was around.

Food here is more expensive, and the local cabbies slit your throat (fares are minimum RM 20 per ride regardless of how near it is to your destination).

We couldn't move freely and food supplies were short as we didn't have places yet to place our groceries if we bought any.

In the end, I contacted a landlady and rented a fully furnished apartment located right in between all the three hospitals we were destined to rotate. Besides the furniture, the place also had a swimming pool and was surrounded by a few nearby churches. The nearest mosque was a bit to far to walk on foot. Oh yeah, no elevators and our apartment is on the 4th floor. Moving in was tiring but at least we had a roof. All we need now are wheels... My car is being shipped and is due to arrive in 2 weeks time...

In the meantime we still depended on Jai and Pak Tri.

Orientation week was heaven. Well not really but it sure beats working life. We still get paid while filling in tons of forms and listening to orientation presentations (I slept through most of it as usual).

Then we knew our postings.

Me, Nadhir and Jaz - O&G
Liyana - Pediatrics (though she had Trevors coming along, another fellow colleague from Manipal whom came along with us).

Reputed to be the toughest postings in KK. We were warned on day 1 that extension rates for both postings were high.

We started work on day 4 of the weekdays.

That was the start of everything new...

I remembered...

Depression.

Tips:

- Mentally prepare yourself for things to come even if you don’t know what. Me being mentally prepped to come work here helped a lot.

- Bring cash. You're like a UR over here. You don't belong. Not yet.

- Shelter, food, car, contacts. Contacts. Contacts. Fast. I can't stress how important.

- Bring lotsa pen and passport sized photos (like 30) cuz you'll need them during registration time.

Sorry you're not in the pic Liyana, tula sampai lambat. Meant to take a pic of us 4 before starting work but dunno why I didn't do it.

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