School Thus Far

Yes, yes, I only blog periodically now. School started, blogging rate decrease. This seems to be an annual pattern. Schools been really fun with exceptions to minor road bumps. Meet really nice seniors who are coaching me for my practical examinations. Don't know how to tell them I really appreciate what they are doing, even though it is part of their portfolio to do teaching, but I really do.

Presentation is on next week. Preparing for it was a pain. Some people just makes excuses after excuses when they don't get their part of the work done and holds the whole team behind. Calls for a meeting to seek opinions but don't want to consider others opinions at all. And those who don't dare to give their opinion and makes me look like the bad person. Oh well, all sorts of people in the world afterall. At least I'm learning to sieve out people who are not worth being anything more than acquaintances. I didn't bother to argue too much about it anyway. Can't be bothered, not worth my effort.

On the bright side though, I am doing a research on the testing of inspired oxygen controller for infants. Looking forward to that. Been staying up late to get things done, which is superisingly working. Perphaps I've slept enough over the summer to make up for it.

I will blogg soon. Try to.

love,
Kathleen

Back to school

This is the third week into school and I'm starting my clinical years with clinical specialties. I suppose it's kind of nice in a way that I get to revise my materials before hitting the ward. On the other hand though, some people have been dying to get into the hospital setting. Not me though. I am quite patience actually. I don't know. I'm keen on getting onto the wards but I suppose everyone should take turn. Plus, if I start and jump into the wards not knowing what I'm doing, it's quite a bit of a waste of time really. Worse still if I become addicted and can't focus on what I am meant to do currently. Don't bother explaining this to my classmates though. They did think that I'm trying to discourage them from learning.

Anyway, I do actually have a lot of work to catch up with at this stage. Ohh, and I'm being a very nice person this year somehow. I am volunteering to be the international student mentor and student mentor for the freshman. On top of that, I just put my hand up to share my second year rural week experience with the current second year. Shrugs. Something must have gotten into me.

Having too much to do is actually quite fun and addictive. It's been so so so long since I felt this way. I like this feeling of having too much to do though. Hmm. I must have gone a little bit crazy. Hahahaha.

Till next time.

love,
kathleen

Surgery

Today is my first day of surgical rotation in my elective in Malaysia. I loved it. I love helping in surgery, watching surgery and I think I will love doing surgery even more. I learnt so much today I don't even know where to start. I think I will really become a surgeon when I grow up. I know I said that before but it feels so me when I'm in the surgery. And the learning bit, makes me feel that I'm alive, makes me feel that I'm really me. The feeling is amazing. You have to had experience it to know what I'm talking about. I'm so high right now cause I just came out from watching a total thyroid removal and helped in the abscess drainage on a breast. It's awesome.

Anyway, my day start with a code blue. Never seen one before. I stood in a corner with my eyes wide open and trying to see everything while trying to keep out of everyone's way at the same time. It's busy like crazy. That actually rhymed. Haha. Anyway, code blue, as a med student, the best thing to do is to just stay out of people's way unless you get called for. Which you never will. Want to know why? Because you are a med student and you don't know anything. You are like the most useless person in the room. And it's true. Just stand there and learn. And stay out of the way. Oh, and I just realised today that CPR is actually really tiring. I saw them sweating after doing CPR.

Then we have to break a bad news to a patient. Like a really really bad news. I don't think I want to talk about it today. But breaking bad news is like part of being a doctor isn't it. Not everyone can be helped. We have our limits and it is important to acknowledge that.

Then we went to surgery. I watched an thyroid removal. It is a four hours long surgery. But you know what is the magic about it? You don't even realised that you were there for four hours. Its awesome. Then I learnt about anesthesiology things and the importance of looking after the patient even after the surgery. The things to look out for, and the way the patient behaves when they are waking up. Mind blowing. After that, I helped in a breast abscess drainage. It was like a tiny thing but it was still great. Didn't end my day till 9pm though. But totally worth it.

Anyway, I think live and breathe medicine. I don't even know why I was in medicine. It was a gut instinct. But I stepped in, and never looked back ever since.

love,
kathleen

The Feeling of Guilt

So today is the last day of my pediatric rotation. Anyway, for the entire week, I've been constantly quizzed about random stuffs that I had studied but forgotten.

First question on the way to rounds. What did you read last night? Opps. I shook my head. I read about aspergers syndrome but I'm not about to tell him that. He will think I'm weird.

I felt pretty bad about not knowing answers to simple questions. For example, what is the side effect of gentamycin? The answer was nephrotoxicity. Simple questions. Then staff nurses couldn't answer but that was a bit expected but he looked very disappointed that I couldn't answer it either.

Then he asked me what are the most common organism that causes pneumonia in neonates and toddlers. I don't know the answer. So he told me after awhile like 3 room visits later. Then I ask why. Guess what answer I got? Don't question the teacher why when you yourself haven't' done the reading. It just shows your weakness. Embarrassing for me because he told me off in front of the stuff nurse. I'm sure he would use the word lazy on me if the nurse weren't there.

But after rounds, he told me he doesn't know how to teach me because I don't do my readings. BANG!!! That hurt. I didn't say anything because it is true right? How to help someone who is not helping herself. Damn it. The acting medical director of the hospital thinking that I am lazy is not good. He probably thinks I'm pretty stupid too. Shrugs.

He then brought me to watch a cesarean. Highlight of the week. When we came out, he smiled at me and said that he was scared that I was going to faint at the sight of blood. Anyway, that op was amazing. There is this sense of joy and miracle when the baby was delivered.

After that he sent me off with the visiting peds surgeon. So I got to watch three of the same operation that I don't think I want to name at this stage. It's a minor surgery but not for those who are undergoing it. One really screamed and cried.

It was a great and inspiring rotation. At least I'm not too scared of kids anymore. But I felt really guilty after this week though. Should start studying harder. No denying that I am pretty lazy for the past two years school work wise. I got the grades I got because of some kind of little smartness and instincts. Would have done better if I start actually start studying. So I'm going to start now. Study some basic peds stuffs. At least the questions he asked.

Maybe I should walk up to him on my last day of my attachment and tell him all the answers to his questions. Should I? Maybe it's not too nice to do that. I don't know.

love,
kathleen

The Irony of Medicine When Medical Students Are Involved

Alright, so this is my second week of attachment with the hospital. There is basically only 1 patient for the entire day and I've been here since 7:30am. So I've been sitting in the patient waiting area next to the magazine stand and finished reading all the magazines on it, which includes the Malaysian Medical Journal and Newsweek. So eventually when I ran out of material to entertain myself, a thought came to mind and I'm sharing it with you.

If you ever find yourself or someone you know that has to go to the hospital. Blame the medical students. Here is why.

When a medical student has nothing to do, he/she gets bored. So all he/she can do is sit around. So we sometimes get so bored that we wished that someone gets hurt or fall ill enough to get them to the hospital. This way, we get something to do and something to learn. Make sense?

So if you or someone turn up to the hospital and there are medical students involved, you would know who to glare at momentarily to blame them, especially if the hospital is quite. But don't stare too long though. We would get scared and trust me, sometimes, medical students are the ones who would be really helpful because we ask loads of questions that make the doctor more careful about treating the patient. So when we get scared, we either shut up or drop off the case and hope for another one.

Anyway, I was half way through that top part of this post when I got picked up to go see a laparoscopic appendectomy. It is awesome. Plus I learnt how to make stitches, put in a urinary catheter and reasons to why certain things or material are used. On top of that, a ride home. But I think the most important thing that I learnt today is to always be polite to people around you, especially your surgical team and superiors. Want to know why? Because when you are polite, have a nice smile, and listen to all the things they say even when it's not related, they see it, know it and remember it. It has to be genuine though, otherwise they know it too. So when there is something nice and interesting, they push it your way, and you learn some really good stuff. Of course, you just have to be around at the right place at the right timing too.

love,
kathleen

Ambulance Ride

I was on a ten hour shift today with the Tasmania Ambulance Service. We started at 0730 in the morning and the sun was just raising. It started out slow and I had time to sit in the lounge to have my subway breakfast.

Our first stop was just nearby to the pier with a pair of tourist from the mainland who fell down the stairs in the hotel last night. She woke up this morning and the pain was too much, so she rang the ambulance. Sent her to the royal but she felt that the two hours que was too long and is willing to go to the private hospital. So we drove her round the block to the private hospital next door. One way streets only is a bit of a waste in transport time when you need it.

We then attened to a lady who had heavy chest pain which subsided when we go there. Still we sent her to the hospital just in case it was a myocardia infarct.

Then we were sent to an elderly male who waited three hours for the ambulance. He was not priority anyway. We were told that he had back pain and could not walk. Reached the destination, he was standing up and about to make some breakfast for himself. Haha. Sent him to so nearby private hospital so that he can have better pain relieve than his paracetamols.

When back to headquaters to catch some lunch. Lucky me, they had some volunteer paramedics training. In other words, free lunch for me. Yeah. Haha. Then we when to the library to play with the internet while waiting for the next call out.

Our next call out is to a nursing home in a rural area. Elderly lady who had been vomiting for the past three days. The nurse there says that she had been feeling pain for the past three days too, all over her body. The elderly is demented you see. Hence, she can't tell us much.

Right on que is a call out to the opposite side of Tasmania in a rural community. The lady had fell down, flat on her face. She had been lying on the floor for the past two hours before her carer came back from the shops and found her in that state. She seems to hurt everywhere and it keeps moving. Her hand was in pretty bad angles but that hand was fine though. A really huge bumb on there head and a bloody nose. Still, we sent her to the royal cause she hit her head. Trying to transfer her from the floor to the stretcher and from the stretcher to the reclining chair was a painful task. For her and us.

Then on que again, we when out to someone who fell off a roof while trying to fix a satilite dish for cable television. The catch is, he was fixing it for someone else in another house. He fell and was transported to his own home. Instead of staying in where he fell. Oh well, any harm is already done. Nonetheless, took off his homemade bandage, a pretty well done one. There is a huge piece of skin missing from his calf. I'm amazed that the bleeding even stopped. Re-did the bandage with some nice clean ones for him. He didn't want to come to the hospital initially but was convinced that he had to come along or he would lose his foot to infection. So he came along with a ride in the ambulance to the hospital.

That was the last call of the long long day. I didn't even stay till that guy got amitted. I was supposed to but it was 1800 at night. I was meant to finish at 1730. Pick up my gear, thank the girls and caught the bus back to the hostel.

All in all, I had a great day. Tiring and sleepy, but still great. Would do it again if I get a chance to. Now I need to go catch up to prepare for tomorrow's whole day of tutorials.

love,
kathleen

After two weeks

So it's two weeks into school again. Anyway, I'm studying the digestive system currently. There is quite abit to learn but lectures seems to be lesser this semester. Or maybe it's just because we are still in the second week.

Also, there is only theme 1, clinical skills and theme 4 lectures left. Of course, and there is the perspective of ageing which is a combine unit with the nursing and paramedic students. No more theme 2, 3 or 5 lectures. Regarding exams, there is still three paper though.

Oh well, after last semester's results, I need to work harder. Though I will still try to keep one day of every week free for me to do my stuff.

The new hostel chef left and there is a new one in again. This new one isn't as good as the last one but not as bad as the ex ex chef. Haha. Talking about high turn over of employment.

Guess my posting will be less frequent till the holidays.

Love,
kathleen

Back to school

Now that I'm back in Hobart, I need to reset my brain to study mode again. Four more months before I get to go home.

Anyway, hostel has a new chef. I like his food. It's healthier and more fillings. Roast slices are larger and has no fatty layer of skin on it. It's good. However, there is still the factor that he is still new and hence will make better food. We shall wait for a couple of months before comfirming his skills and passion to the job. Hehe. This place seems to be changing chefs every year.

This semester is said to be the hardest throughout the course. With my slip in grades last semester, I guess I better start studying then.

Off to school now.

Love,
kathleen

Road trip Malaysia

Just got back home from a road trip in west Malaysia. Nothing much exciting happened untill today on our drive home.

Before hitting the highway, we decided to go looking for a deer conservation park. It was great. Many deers in the area though the wild Buffalo is enormous and scary. Haha. Anyway, after a toilet break, we went to the bird conservation area. They have many rare and pretty birds in cages. Halfway through, I picked up two pheasants peacock feathers. Pretty, so I kept it. At the end, we walked to the last enclosure. The first thing we noticed was, of course, the pretty bird inside. Next, we saw that the door was left open. So we stood there and look at the bird walking around. Didn't bother to walk over to close the door either, since it was kind of far and off the pathway. Soon enough, the bird strolled out of the cage and into the jungle. So the conservation lost a rare bird today, and I saw it. Hehe.

Anyway, then we went on the highway heading for home. So we were crusing along at about 110km/h on the highway, chatting about random stuff. Then with me in the middle seat at the back, as per my normal seat, I saw a red blob starting to take flight at the side of the road. It's normal to see animals flying across the highway, running across it, or sitting at the raillings. They tend to have a good judge and get across safely, hence, no one really bothers about it. So I look at the bird flying across and right in front of our car. Wham. Silly bird decided to land on our wipper for some reason. It got its leg caught and dragged our wipper upwards as it slides up the windscreen and over our car. Haha. Dead bird. Some reason I won't stop laughing and myy family stared at me. Dad stopped the car to fixed the wipper into the right position and check for cracks on the windscreen. Luckily there was none. We continued on our way with me still half laughing and a graet big smile across my face. Dad looked at me through the rear view mirror and started smiling too. We tried to figure out what bird it actually was and decided it was a flying chicken. Then Dad said it. He said part of what I was thinking all this while. 'Aiyah, we should have stopped to pick it up for chicken curry tonight.' Hahaha. Anyway, I was thinking what my family's faces would be like if the chicken bursted on the windscreen. I was really also laughing about how stupid the bird was. Hahaha. For the next 30 mintues my brother decided to start calculating the physics of the impact, with all the different factors. Haha. It fizzied out as I fell asleep.

So, I would guess the moral of the story would be to either aim high, fly high and reach your goal, or don't take off at all. Going in between would leave you lost, or worst, dead. Dead like the chicken was today.

Love,
kathleen

Holidays

It's been so long since I posted. Exams require studying and updating my blog really isn't studying. Unless I start posting random medical stuff that would turn most people off. Haha. Another semester over and I'm on holidays now, so I went on the first flight out of hobart and melbourne to get back home.

The first thing I did when I got back is savory the delicious asian food that is oh so hard to find in Australia. Funny how I craved to have western food when I'm in asia and asia food when I head back to Australia. Haha. So I'm basically spending time with my parents, enjoying being the center of attention before my brother arrives tomorrow.

Anyway, I manage to do an elective in the specialist hospital just outside where I stay for this coming summer. At least I know that I would be occupied during summer when I get back.

Next agenda for this holiday is to deciede where I want to go for a holiday next week and during summer. It can be so difficult to pick where to go especially if it's so short. Central Java and road trip malaysia with PADI is on my short list. Need to pick one. One that my family would like too and is not too tiring.

Ohhwell, results out in a bit. Nervous as always but there isn't much that I can do. Maybe I should go buy my books and start studying for next semester. Afterall, I've heard next semester is the most difficult. Still feel like slacking around though., holiday being holiday.

When I don't get much of a choice, I complian that I don't get to choose. When I get a choice, I complain that I have to decide and make up my mind when others just sit around and not thinking. It's so hard to decide though. Pros and cons are hard to weight out. And there is the need to take into consideration other's feelings and thoughts. This is made more difficult when they don't want to tell you. I wish I was capable of being abit more emotional and do things by my emotions. Actually, maybe not. I think I like being rational or over rational at times. It makes it hard to decide but when decided the outcome is always good. Somehow it is. Oh well, things that happen would happen eventually anyway.

Love,
kathleen

Another new start

Today marks the day of a new begining to my life again. I'm another year older, hopefully wiser.

I only had half a day of school. With school located in the city now, I head off to dome and spend the rest of my day there. My brother joined me shortly after I found a sit. We had lunch, did some work together, had dinner, then came back. We didn't talked much since we were either eating, drinking, working or on the internet. But the presence of him with me made my day. Makes me feel like we spent real quality time together. He is not a big fan of studying in a cafe, yet, he still spent the time there because he knows I like it. If only we didn't have to leave the cafe and if only the night didn't have to end. We return to the hostel to only be in our own rooms, doing our own things. It suddenly makes me miss the type of time we just had, as if it was a long time ago, as if I would never be able to spent such time with you again.

You know what brother? You are the very reason why I never got into a relationship with anyone. You are the very reason why I pick and choose the people I hang out with and call friends. You've shown me what a real relationship is like, what it feels like, what it can and should be like. You've shown me what friends are like. You've shown me how to be a real friend to others and not expect things in return. Most importantly, you've set the standard for me to protect me from being hurt. What do I do without you.

No matter how many times I wished today never end, it always eventually do. It's now time to go back to my books and focus on my exams.

love,
kathleen

Rural Week

Just returned from my rural week in rural Tasmania Swansea. It was a great week away from Hobart, giving me a break from the normal schooling schedules of lectures, tutorials and laboratory practical. I learnt so much more through immersing myself with the community, having quality conversations with the community members, and understanding the way the community work and the difficulties and issues that the community face then all the community health lectures put together.

My days was spent with my CBL (case based learning group) and we met many local people, including health care professionals, allied health workers, and various local leaders and community members, in Swansea. They shared their stories and experience with us, gave us a tour of their town, and more importantly, made the group feel part of the community. People in Swansea are really friendly, they greet you when you walk by them in the streets. They are really appreciative of the services available to them and our interest in the community.

We were invited to join local community programs that is organised in conjunction of health promotions. In this program, people talked about everything to each other and gave advice when an issue is raised. This opportunity really showed us the community spirit of a small (population: 600-700) rural community such as Swansea, the community spirit that dosen't exsit in a large urban city.

The local GPs, there is only 2 of them to serve the whole community, was a great inspiration to me. They were able to be the community's doctor, community's friends, a teacher of the local community school and parents at the same time. They were able to do all of this and yet maintain a healthy professional distance from patients who are members of the community. The effort that they put in to become part of the community and change the community for the better is amazing.

The week away from the rest of the cohort gave the 9 of us many opportunities to know each other better. We did things together as a team. This allowed us to know each other's strengths, knowledge and experiences which assisted in getting more out of the week as a group. Most of our gatherings ended in conversations regarding medical things such as ethics, communication, or just clinical science topics. Otherwise, it was about Swansea and how we felt about particular events of the trip. This is what happens when a group of medical students get together. When we love what we learn, we don't stop talking about it because it is part of who we are and what we are going to be.

Of course there was a bit of school gossip and sharing of issues that we experienced with others in the cohort. It is good that these issues are brought up as we helped each other to understand what the other party could be experiencing or intending that resulted in the conflicts. A beach bon fire with marshmallows and chocolate ripple biscuits, along with a game of "I've never ever..." brought up a lot of information and experiences about the team members. Information that would not have been shared if this week didn't happened. Overall, we all had a great time and bonded with each other, changing our perception of some individuals.

The great week away had went well and ended. This leaves me with my rural week journal, rural week reflective essay, and my rural week group report and evaluation to be completed. Whatever happens in Swansea stays in Swansea.

The refreshing week in Swansea with the team refreshed me. The refreshed me is now ready to get back into school and learn more things to help me be a better doctor and a better person.

love,
kathleen

The aftermath of a mid semester exam

Had my mid semester exam yesterday. It was difficult. We actually really had 100 questions to answer. 69 multiple choice and 31extended matching questions. Found that I made heaps of mistake in it but it's too late. I actually had the right answer for some and then decided to change them. If only I had left them alone. But it's done. There's nothing I can do about this exam other then to wait for results.

So with this exam done, I had to jump into planning for the rural week and organise things. Only half the team showed up for the meeting today. Which was dissapointing but we got things done.

Rushing the gather and edit my essay that is due on Friday. It also happens to be the day that I would be on the Cardiothoracic ward pre assessment placement too. That should be interesting.

Need to go get things done now.

love,
kathleen

The holiday that they are unwilling to give us

Happy Easter everyone!!!!

Thursday to Wednesday have been my Easter break holidays. The Tuesday before breaking up for the holidays we had an Easter egg hunt around the hostel. I found 5 eggs, 3 small and 2 medium, scoring a total of 7 points for my house. Yeah!!! Great improvement from last year when I only found 1 medium egg. Haha.

So how did I spent my Easter break you may ask. Studying for my mid semester exams of course. The Tuesday after Easter break is my mid semester exam and it includes materials that will be covered on Monday. The day before the exam.

I've also got an essay on ethical and professional pressures of community care for palliative patients. That's due on the Friday after my exam. Thankfully, I decided to do my first draft even before the pressure of my mid semester exam fall on me. So I guess I'm only going to start editing after my exams. There is probably heaps to edit but at least I've got something out. Some of my classmate have yet to even began the essay.

Then there is the ever anticipated rural week. Swansea, Tasmania, watch out, my team is coming your way and we want to learn heaps from you and your rural-ness. So that puts another dish on my plate being the team leader for my group. At least I have managed to ensure that everyone would be transported to Swansea. Yup, we need to managed our own transport for a school trip. I also managed to get the team to decide on the topic for our health promotion event. It's going to be along the line of biopsychosocial model of health. Teaching that to primary school kids, we decided to bring along a lot of goodies for them to help them remember what they are taught. Details for that is yet to be settled so we will probably have another meeting after exams. Plus there is a need to wait for reply from the lecturer in charge.

Today is my pharmacology day. I'm going to split it into 3 days. Remembering drug names and how to spell them is not easy. The paper is MCQs and EMQs. Scary, it means that I would be either right or wrong. No more in-betweens like SAQs has.Guess I will need to re-study for my mid semester exams when I'm done with my pharmacological quota for today.

Not much of a holiday when you are being given so much to do.

love,
kathleen

Fire alarming

Today is the day of the week. I didn't start class till 2pm and finished at 5pm. Awesome. Woke up in the morning and did anatomy. Didn't get too far though.

Hope on the bus on my merry way to school only to receive a text from my classmate that tutorial is cancelled. Oh well, on my way to school already. So, I went to the allocated class room just in case and I actually had class at 2pm. It's the 3pm class that is cancelled and shifted to tommorrow and it's evolved into a lecture as opposed to a tutorial. Something about a power surge.

As I was having the pharmacology tutorial, the fire alarm started alarming.
'The fire alarm has been activated. Please standby for further instructions.'
So we left and waited by the stair for further instructions. Haha. So everyone eventually made their way to the carpark.

Anyway my tutor decided that a fire alarm is no excuse to waste valuable learning oppotunity. So we headed to the gardern nearby and continued our pharmacology tutorial there. It was actually great, including the weather. I got to study with my sunnies on and the tutor gave the tutorial with her sunnies on. Haha. And the sound of the rustling of the dried leaves, the kids playing with the fallen leaves, great learning environment. If only we have classes outdoor that often.

Anyway, headed back to the building after the class to do some self study before my observational studies class. I reckon less than a quarter of the class turned up. It's not the most exciting lecture anyway. Stayed in school for another hour to finish some things before heading back.

Wonder when my next outdoor class is going to be with winter coming.

love,
kathleen

Presenting presentation

Today is presentation day.

It went alright presenting the presentation of the patient and the question. The clinician was kind to me. Didn't get interrupted. Or maybe it's because I spoke bit too quick to be interrupted. Anyway, the clinician was in a good mood today and didn't 'attack' us too much. Maybe he is tired from his flight back so wasn't really up to do much talking. He still did quite a bit though. Absolutely enthusiastic about his ECGs. Which is good, learnt a lot.

The presentation was quite fine. I had to awkwardly get back to the front after having returned to my seat. Got to go back to because the clinician was making some comment about my question.

'So how fast was your heart rate when you were up there, Kathleen?'
'Very fast, Sir.'
'It's been recorded that presenters have a heart rate of up to 140 bpm especially on large scale national and international media. That's why some presenters cheat by taking some beta-blocker before the presentation. Not that I recommend that you do that as your blood pressure would drop a lot and result in more adverse effect.'
Then I smile and said 'Thank you' before heading back to my seat and did a little fist punch. I think the other 2 lectures saw me do that as they were smiling at me after.

So with presentation done, it's time to head back to my daily studying in preparation of mid-semester examination.

love,
kathleen

When I grow up

So this is the end of week 3 of school. As the norm goes, I'm studying. So next week I will be doing a presentation, a case presentation actually, to the whole cohort and the lectures. Scary but at least I'm not alone. I mean of course there would only be me talking when I'm suppose to, how can we have more than one person talkingat anyone time, but there are others presenting with me too. Still scary because I'm opening. Anyone who have seen me make presentations will know that I'm quite terrible at it. But the idea is cool though. We've got to present a case as if we are on the wards with a consultant type. This is to prepare us for 3rd year ward rounds. Wish me luck I guess, got to do it eventually.

So, I was in the shower after finish my essay, which I'm nearly done and there is still a month to go before it's due, I thought that I want to do another essay. Remember in primary school, every start of the year the teacher makes you do a creative writing on what you want to be when you grow up. In my first one, I wrote that I was going to be a professional robber. Drove everyone nuts, and they all freaked out. It's creative though and I'd make loads of money and little work when I get really good at robbing. Haha. I'm doing another one now though.

When I grow up.
When I grow up, I want to be intelligent. When I grow up, I want to strong. When I grow up, I want to be a surgeon. I want to be the top surgeon. The best surgeon that anyone would ever know. When I grow up, I want to be great. When I grow up, I want to be amazing. More amazing than anyone amazing. When I grow up, I want to invent new techniques. Techniques that is better than previous, more effective, more quick, more economical. Most importantly, when I grow up, I want to be a better me. A much better me.


love,
kathleen

After a week

Alright, I've found 5 mins to blog before diving into my text books.

So this is the end of week 1 and things are starting to go on full gear. Lectures after lectures, practicals after practicals. Yes, I'm so very busy. We are now studying the cardiovascular system and I love it. Now, all lectures are in the new lecture theater in the new building and the 1st years uses the old one in the hospital. My usual sitting, 5 rows up on the left, first sit.

So, I've started studying so that I would sound that I actually know my stuff. Just finish writting out my week 1 's notes and going to do my week 1 reading list before tomorrow starts. I think I like it this way, being busy and all, because I've got something to do and have tomorrow planned. Feels good to always have something to do.

Weather is starting to cool down and the rain seems to be starting to come in. We are now in the low 20 degrees range. It's all good except when I have to get out of my nice, warm, cozy bed in the morning. Food in the hostel is still fine so far. I will start to be on diet next week by eating less at dinners and not going to supper. Need to loose weight and cold weather just gives you a boost as your body needs to increase metabolism to maintain the body temperature. However, it would also try to store fats as insulation. Will start running next weekend to make sure that metabolism rate goes up and fats goes down.

I think that's the sign to head back to my books.

love,
kathleen

First Day Back

Today's the first day back to school. The medical school have now moved to the new medscience 1 building right in the city, so very close to the RHH. This is meant to be easier on the clinicians who will be teaching us just in case they need to suddenly go save lives.

The new medscience building is still half finished. No surprise. They told us in advance. However, only today did we realise that we have no place at all to hang out. Other then the so angulated sofa-like thing in the foyer. Classroom have glass as walls ie. everyone can see our CBL discussion and we can't goof around. The lecture theater has windows that we can look out to the streets and they can look at us too. 5 minutes into the introdution, I started to look out, count 10 cars that rolled by and picked the one that I like best. Don't think that I'm the only one doing that though, because eventually, the made the shades come down. We can still look out but not as tempted anymore. Other then that, everything is new and I like new things.

In the rare occurance like today, my class went from 9am to 1 pm. First day back benifits. So came back early and spent the rest of the day "exploring" MyLO. It's a total different layout from last year. Timetable. Totally changed. We are having more tutorials. No complains about that. There would be only one CBL per week. No complaints about that either. The catch. We are to present the case the same day as we would be having CBL. Only having clinical skill once every fortnight mean that we have less practice. That's not too good. Guess we all just need to get use to it.

Have another look at my timetable and just realise that it's pretty alright if you compare to next week with full on 9am - 5pm everyday. So, I'm going to enjoy my first week back and find some secret space just for the me and a few people to hang out and do our stuff.

That's how my first day went.

love,
kathleen

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone !!!!

Well, this would be my 4th Chinese New Year away from home. Have to have my family's reunion dinner a day earlier. It was a feast. Chinese New Year is really quite in Australia. It's not so bad in the bigger cities like Perth, Mel or Sydney. In Tas, however, it's none existance. We need a bigger Chinese population to make it here. Can't stand it, too quite. Still it's Chinese New Year. Hopefully, I get to spent mine next year back home.

Came to uni today to make my uni ID. We've got to make one every year. This year, I'm orange in the picture, and I look like I've shrunk. Last year was green. Let's see if I get to be blue, purple and yellow for my next few cards, then I would have the whole collection.

Bought my things that I would be needing for the new semester. Except for scalper blades though, will get them when school starts since the new building is in the city near the medical store.

Hostel's internet is up and running though we would be changing to hard wire in a bit. Just collected my last addition to my room, co-op bookshop calender poster. Good thing to paste on my wall. Look good and its useful. Guess we are not having monday pasta night anymore. Thankfully. Hate thoes pasta, especially the red ones. Sun's out, yet to do lundry.

Happy Chinese New Year!! (It last for 15 days)

love,
kathleen