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

Year 2011

The new year have started and I've yet to blog anything about it. But I'm doing it now so it counts to it anyway.

The year started with EAMSC 2011 Bangkok, Thailand. Awesome event. Made really good new friends from various countries, got to tour Bangkok a little, enjoyed good food and learnt somethings about adolescent health. So thats good. An entire week of fun.

So I'm blogging right now in the lecture. It's introduction, so I'm not missing much. For thoes who missed my blog for the past year, I'm currently starting 3rd year medcine, 1st clinical year. New area to get into, new style of teaching and learning, and a whole new set of assigments for the year. With the new found motivation and inspiration from my summer experience, I'm so ready to start 3rd year. Oh, and there is also a new wardrobe to go along to fit my new outfit rules. Monday and Wednesday causual, and formal for Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays.

Anyway, the lecture is finishing soon so I need to stop blogging. I've moved to a new place and it's good.

Oh. Hahaha. Quote from my first introduction lecture today (I'm having an entire week of it).
The change in mindset from pre clinical to clinical year.

1st and 2nd year: (Mum) Do I have to do this?
3rd year: What can I get from this?

So yeah, till next time when I actually find some time. Hahaha.

love,
kathleen

My Playground

Today is the last day of my surgical rotation and it ended with three back to back sugery. Loved that. So throughout this week I've been in surgery observing and helping around with little things. At the end of my rotation, I have made a decision. The decision is that the operating theater is my playground. So thoes who looking at buying me presents, don't get too offened if I do not look to surprised with my gifts. Trust me, I will love them all. But unless you sudden find the means to buy me an operating theater with all the equipments and materials intact, top it off with so plastice people for me to practise on, I won't be all crazy over it. Haha.

Anyway, I had a really good week and felt that I really learnt alot medically and non-medically. I really felt comfortable, as if surgery is the right thing for me to be doing and that I really liked it. Also, I realised from this week that maybe, just maybe, I am actually a crazy workaholic who will grow up to live and breathe my career. The hospital I work in will probably be my second home that I would spend long hours in. And at the end of the long day when I finally can't find excuses for myself to stay on, I will find it fullfilling. Then, it will start all over again and I will be the first one in the next day. I think thats what I see myself doing when I grow up and I'm going to like that.

I don't know what to say, so I just smile.

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

First Overseas Hospital Attachment

Alright, for those who actually follows my blog, which I doubt there is many if any, sorry about the lack of posting. School has been pretty busy with school work and exams, and soon enough, wosh, it's summer break again. Yay to summer break.

So latest update on my side, hmm, lets start with, I passed second year of med school, so that's good. This means that I'm promoted to third year, moving from pre clinical to clinical, which is kind of a big move, not as big as going from being a medlet to a doctor though. Haha. Plenty to look forward to then. So next semerster I would be considered junior senior. Like the group of little seniors who think they are so smart because they can give advice to the first and second years , actually know what they are talking about, and tell them to just hang in there because they will miss it when it passes.

Next, I have been selected to be one of the 30 medical students to represent Australia in the East Asian Medical Student Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a week long of conference stuffs ( more like half day conference and half day touring), and it is about adolescent health. Plus, I'm the youngest in the team (pretty sure), and helping to write the paper which was selected as the top 10 finalist to present in the conference itself. And I have a foot in the public poster design. Haha. So I'm going to Bangkok for the conference and a quick holiday just the week before school actually starts.

Lastly, I am currently on my first overseas hospital attachment. I am learning from consultants in the Senawang Specialist Hospital in Senawang, Malaysia. They are all awesome people there and I am learning heaps. Probably more then what clinical skills taught in school. I feel so fortunate to be able to be there. So for the next four weeks, I would be pretty busy learning some real hospital things and seeing real patients, real results and real x-rays. No more make belief ones that I have to lie to myself that they are real cases in school. Plus, we start to have real patients in school next year too.

On the down side though, I missed out on a trip to east Africa as I chose to do the attachment. It's worth it though. Africa won't be teaching me much medical stuffs, probably end up with a mind ready for engineering school instead. Haha. There is always next time to get to Africa and see Victoria Fall and all the cool, wild animals. Perhaps I should start planning a two months trip to go around Africa. Not enough though but thats as much summer as I get.There is apparently so many that you see giraffe on the high way being accidentally road killed. Ohh, do you know, in Africa, only individuals who are lucky gets selected to work over time. Interesting.

Last, thing for real, for those who just missed me, I actually just left Singapore a week ago. Will be in Singapore over the Christmas season though.

I just that's all for now.
Till next time, probably after my attachment to tell you all the cool things I did.

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

The Game

Game Title: Life

Number of Players: 1 only

Duration: Life time

Objective:

1. To reach the end of the game
2. To achieve the things the player wants to achieve

Instructions:

1. Set aims and goals throughout the game
2. Overcome the challenges that occurs in the game
3. Experience the challenges, learn from it and leave it
4. Leave a mark in the places you've been, the people you've met
5. Do everything you need to achieve the things you want to achieve
6. Upon nearing the end of the game, take a moment to turn around and look at the trail you left behind

Tips:

1. The game had already started before you know about it
2. You are not the only one playing this game. Everyone is playing it. It is that popular.
3. Others will enter your game and you will enter other's game. They will leave eventually and you should leave when appropriate. Don't stay longer then necessary.
4. Stay focused. Be determined.
5. Challenges has a start and end point, they just take time to learn to be identified.
6. The length, difficulty and experience of the challenges varies. This makes you unique and they can't be taken away regardless.


There is no turning back now. Embrace this game and make the most out of it.

love,
kathleen

The Human Heart

The human heart is an organ that lies within the thoracic cavity. It sits within the mediastinum within the fibrous pericardium, within the parietal and visceral pericardium.

The human heart beats. It beats to pump blood to the lungs, to the body. The human heart relaxes. It relaxes to receives blood from the lungs, from the body and from the human heart itself. Endlessly, day and night it gives and receives.

Just so occasionally, the human heart gives more than blood to the body of which it belongs. Just the little bit more. The little bit more that makes the heart become tachycardic whenever the right person appears, walks by or get talks about. The little bit more that makes the heart become even more tachycardic whenever the right person speaks to the body. The little bit more that that makes the body smile and gaze at the right person in front. The little bit more that makes the brain goes fuzzy and uncertain.

And because the brain goes fuzzy and uncertain with thousands of thoughts and emotions shouting out in the brain, the human heart increases in inotropy and chronotropy. This is the increase that makes things worst. It makes the brain go fuzzier and more uncertain. It makes the brain become distracted and not listen to others when spoken too. This is detrimental. It really is. It makes the brain look stupid, sound stupid and act stupid. It makes others feel that the brain is stupid but worst it makes others feel unheard, unappreciated, unimportant. And this is detrimental too. It really really is. It makes the human heart feels guilty. What's done was not intentional. What's done wasn't even meant to be done. It makes the human heart awkward. This awkward human heart makes the brain make the body do awkward things. This awkward things pushes the person and others away from the body. Eventually, the body gets nothing, the brain gets nothing, the human heart gets nothing too.

Here is what the brain should do when the human heart starts to give the little bit more than blood to the body of which it resides.

The brain should kindly tell the heart that it is not going to work. The little bit more should be allowed to now be diluted in the blood and the body. The dilution that is required to put the past behind.

Now this would work because then the brain would not do stupid and awkward things. The stupid and awkward things the pushes others away. But more importantly, the stupid and awkward things that pushes the right person away. This means that although the heart and brain and body does not exactly what they wanted, they would at least get something slightly close to what they want. After all, a little of it, is better than none of it. This is the little bit that gives that little bit of hope, that little bit of inspiration , that little bit of everything that makes everything seem right, that little bit that makes the long and gloomy day ahead go by a little bit faster, a little bit brighter and that little bit that makes the day end with a little bit of smile.
That little bit that the human heart gives.That little bit.

Now that the week have ended, it's a new week that needs focus. It's time to make the little bit a little bit more little. So little that it is just the right amount to make things right, to stay on track, to reach the goal before allowing the little bit to increase.

So here is what I'm going to do, I'm going to study, work hard and make sure that I'm right on track. Because this is the only way to get the little bit extra in my future, my life, my surrounding.

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

Mini Holiday

Essay submitted, mid semester exam results out. I did ok I guess, given that the paper is difficult.

Had my placement in the cardiothoracic pre assessment ward. It's good as expected. Got quizzed by the head nurse on the type of blood tests that is done.I know everything except BSL. How silly to know all the complicated things and not know Blood Sugar Level. I think I probably flushed when she told me what it is. Guess BSL just didn't connect to Blood sugar level then. Met the plumber (the surgeon calls himself a plumber with the heart being a pump and all) who is going to do the valve replacement. Just learnt that they tend to use cow valve for males and pig valve for females. That was interesting. Meet the gas man too. He just ask about allergy and stuff from previous experience. He also explain how they use head dots to monitor the function of the patient's brain to ensure that the patient stays asleep. Had 2 cups of chocolate during the talking from the physiotherapist, and heartbeat tasmania people. The chocolate was shouting 'DRINK ME!! DRINK ME!!" The result of not having breakfast before rushing for placement.

I just accumulate a stack of lecture that I have to review because of the exam and assigment and placement. Got to go do them. Meant to start yesterday but I fell asleep after chatting to my dad on the phone. I chat on phone on my bed. Didn't wake up till my brother came knocking and it was too late to do any work then. Seeing that I stayed two late nights in a row to review my essay, I'm better of sleeping then.

Up next: Rural week!!!

Yes !!! Something that resemble a holiday at last. Of course there is the planning to do, people to ring up, preparation and packing. But after all this assignments and exams, I really want Rural week. It's going to be great because my team is cool and we are going to Swansea which is cooler still.

Will be next week till I blog. No internet in our accomadation.

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