Hello there my fellow readers,
My name is Doctor XYZ, apparently I am a doctor, serving in Malaysia for the past 2.5 years, having just completed my housemanship in HTAR, Klang. One of the most challenging places to do housemanship in malaysia with various challenges including a very high rate of depression amongst it workers, not just housemen, but also medical officers, staff and even some say the cats at HTAR are also depressed or bipolar. :)
While I was in HTAR, we were exposed to a variety of cases as the whole of HTAR was like an emergency department, patients collapsing in ED, in the car park, in the toilet, in the clinic, in the lift, you name it. I was once involved in a CPR and resuscitation of a patient in the lift. Scary experiences in life. But we get through it somehow and this is what builds character and courage. It also trains our skills to adapt in life threatening situations. Housemanship, u dont have to be a champion houseman, just train ur basic skills like suturing, branulla insertion, speed in clerking and management and try your best to practice protective medicine. Trust me, it saves lives, including the your LIFE in terms of malpractices or negligences.
However, during my time in HTAR, I realised that there was a far more serious problem than this medical issues, I realised that psychiatric disorders were on the rise amongst patients, staff, cats, dogs and so on in HTAR. I found it an interesting field of study as the human mind is capable of changing/ affecting even the healthiest and fittest of individuals, if Lance Armstrong can beat testicular cancer and 2 other cancers just by thinking positive and believing in his ability to respond to medications, then anything is possible. I was also very unfortunate to have seen a healthy young individual who had no heart complications in his life, die from heart attack at a tender young age because he refused to believe that his body was healthy and he kept on fearing his life would end with a heart attack. He had a clean bill of health with good ECG and good ECHO findings, however 1 week later he was found dead and a post mortem showed he died of a heart attack. Tragic.
As a medical student, I always had an affiliation of interest in psychiatry as it was very difficult to understand the complexity of the human mind as a whole. It is so complicated, have a look at Einstein, or Newton, or Hitler, have he ever tried to analyse what these individuals were thinking at the time of their reign back in the day? Or forget them, what about stephen hawking, the paralysed scientist who succeeded when no one else believed or everyone else ridiculed him? Interesting eh? Hence, I signed up for the psychiatric posting in HTAR with a firm resolve that I was to give back to the community in Malaysia which is deprived of proper psychiatry follow up or community service. I felt our young or old generation deserved better in these aspects. Mental health is also important despite it being looked upon lightly by not only the community but also amongst the medical fraternity as well.
Low and behold, its been now 2 months since I finished my housemanship in Klang. However, my dreams have not been met by the goverment or tge current JKN of the state I am in. I am currently in a district hospital. Far away from the psychiatry scene or ward. Far away from being exposed to patients who have mental illness. Far away. I was utterly disappointed that I informed the JKN that I am sitting for a paper in MrCPSYch in December and I have paid good money for it prior to reporting to duty.
Life has been very difficult for me in this new district hospital. Unlike others, I have no ED or Anesth exposure and found it very difficult to adapt. I also have thought countless time of resigning from the government but, I have a resolve, I wont give up fighting and I will give my best to the community here in this district hospital, till enough is enough, hopefully the JKN can see, that, I will endure despite this current storm, I will endure. My advice to the current housemen training at their current hospitals, is to not give up hope, fight on despite the difficulties, fight on for your dreams, fight on despite being ridiculed, you only live once, dont let others push you around. Always believe in yourself but do not be arrogant or egoistic. Do not be afraid to admit you made a mistake and do not be afraid to learn new things :)
Remember this, Forrest Gump, though fictional, started on leg braces, and was intellectually lest bright compared to others but he never gave up, despite multiple obstacles in his life and he turned out a successful gent, a war hero, a loving husband and a responsible father. Have a great day mates :)
Forget Forrest Gump, Look at Claudio Ranieri, the Tinker Man, whom no one believed he could ever win a league title. He took a bunch of unknowns, a bunch of mery men, a bunch of misfits, in Leicester City, and made them Champions Of England for the first time in their history. Putting Chelsea, Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal to shame giving hopes to other underdogs including myself hope to not give up in life. Alright, enough from me then, have a good day mates :)
Rock on and stay safe!
*Note, the stuff written above is a personal opinion with no offence to anyone stated above, including Claudio Ranieri :) Cheers. *
