You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.
-Charles Buxton, English Author (1823-1871)-
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Oh No...!
It had happened again...
This morning when I woke up.
The same spot, same time, same person, same eye...
What is happening to me???
No, you are wrong... I am far away from being psychotic.
I suspect it's some evil work of "déjà vu"...
Will keep a close eye on it.
Well anyway, with that swollen eye, I can hardly open it either.
This morning when I woke up.
The same spot, same time, same person, same eye...
What is happening to me???
No, you are wrong... I am far away from being psychotic.
I suspect it's some evil work of "déjà vu"...
Will keep a close eye on it.
Well anyway, with that swollen eye, I can hardly open it either.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
As a small kid, I was constantly in a state of high spirit... Wanting to gain everything in my sight, I learned calligraphy for a few years and arts for numerous months. Both masters or 'sifus' in their respective fields are utmost talented and I would have had quite an achievement in both if I were not that inconsistent and insouciant.
I had jumped from one thing to another with little achievement in anything at all. Guess my maths was bad back then (and probably now as well). How on earth could I gain "profit" if I kept on changing my "products"?
Guess I was and am a lousy writer. How an excellent piece of "composition" can be written if the "theme" is constantly on a shift? I was being naive back then. There's no doubt about it.
Regrets... Looking back, my sorrows can only be founded on it.
Similar to a rolling stone, that was me. Now, that stone has no where to fall anymore. It lays at the hillside... static and silent.
Dear moss,
Worry not...;
Please do grow gracefully on the stone;
For he has made the choice of his life;
To lie here for as long as he can;
With perseverance;
And a little sense of dignity;
So that life can once again exist on it.
-ZhaoMing-
I had jumped from one thing to another with little achievement in anything at all. Guess my maths was bad back then (and probably now as well). How on earth could I gain "profit" if I kept on changing my "products"?
Guess I was and am a lousy writer. How an excellent piece of "composition" can be written if the "theme" is constantly on a shift? I was being naive back then. There's no doubt about it.
Regrets... Looking back, my sorrows can only be founded on it.
Similar to a rolling stone, that was me. Now, that stone has no where to fall anymore. It lays at the hillside... static and silent.
Dear moss,
Worry not...;
Please do grow gracefully on the stone;
For he has made the choice of his life;
To lie here for as long as he can;
With perseverance;
And a little sense of dignity;
So that life can once again exist on it.
-ZhaoMing-
Do you Know that...
WAL-MART's YEARLY IMPORT FROM CHINA IS ABOUT 10 PER CENT OF USA's.
WAL-MART's ECONOMY OR BUYING POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO MALAYSIA's.
FOR YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TRIED TO STOP THIS GIANT COMPANY FROM ENTERING MALAYSIA's MARKET, BUT WE CAN'T HOLD IT FOR LONG.
WAL-MART IS COMING SOON... I WONDER CAN DOING-WELL MARTS, SUCH AS MYDIN, JUSCO OR GIANT, COPE WITH THIS CALLOUS TORRENT.
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Most importantly, can we not just grumble but learn the way Wal-Mart climbed the ladder of success... the way it fully utilises technology... and the way it handles business.
This should serve as an awakening call for all local businessmen. It's time for a change.
WAL-MART's ECONOMY OR BUYING POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO MALAYSIA's.
FOR YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TRIED TO STOP THIS GIANT COMPANY FROM ENTERING MALAYSIA's MARKET, BUT WE CAN'T HOLD IT FOR LONG.
WAL-MART IS COMING SOON... I WONDER CAN DOING-WELL MARTS, SUCH AS MYDIN, JUSCO OR GIANT, COPE WITH THIS CALLOUS TORRENT.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Most importantly, can we not just grumble but learn the way Wal-Mart climbed the ladder of success... the way it fully utilises technology... and the way it handles business.
This should serve as an awakening call for all local businessmen. It's time for a change.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Holiday Movies Berserk
Had watched....
Alien 1
Alien 2
Alien 3
Alien 4
Heroes Season 2
Wild Hogs
Ghost Rider
End of Days
Constantine
Bleach 1-...... AND THE LIST GOES ON.
Everyone, please wish me GAMBATE and all the best ya.
Well, that's post-exam syndrome obviously... Geez.. :-)
Alien 1
Alien 2
Alien 3
Alien 4
Heroes Season 2
Wild Hogs
Ghost Rider
End of Days
Constantine
Bleach 1-...... AND THE LIST GOES ON.
Everyone, please wish me GAMBATE and all the best ya.
Well, that's post-exam syndrome obviously... Geez.. :-)
Students Under Stress?
A 12-year-old student died after the recent Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah results.
Not too long ago, a student of a university took her own life for a similar reason, but after a while, the attention faded.
What's going on with the Asians? Since when do we learn the Japanese suicidal style...? Is the way of reducing stress really constructed on the correct basis, rightfully and lawfully? Or it is just a game of mere ill mental health among students...?
Certainly, now is not the time to point fingers at anyone. However, if the blame game did start, the first one to be hit should well be the education system itself.
Our education system has become too examination-orientated. I can understand how stressful it is because one's future depends on how well one performs during the examination though I personally doubt both are closely related. Should one fall sick, one may not perform well even though one may have had ample preparation.
Should we use examination results as the sole yardstick to measure a student's success in life? Why are we so wedded or disillusioned to the idea that everyone has to achieve something to be someone?
Every child is special in his or her own way. He or she may not be the smartest student in his school or the most talented sportsman,but if the child has an excellent character, that is by itself worth much more than any number of distinctions. There is no need to compare or compete.
There just needs to be a change in perspective in the way we view success and failure.
As the saying goes, "the difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is the way we view it".
More importantly, we need to realise that it is the process, not the result, that matters most. How much a child learns and grows from his educational experiences is far more important than what he gets in examinations.
Not too long ago, a student of a university took her own life for a similar reason, but after a while, the attention faded.
What's going on with the Asians? Since when do we learn the Japanese suicidal style...? Is the way of reducing stress really constructed on the correct basis, rightfully and lawfully? Or it is just a game of mere ill mental health among students...?
Certainly, now is not the time to point fingers at anyone. However, if the blame game did start, the first one to be hit should well be the education system itself.
Our education system has become too examination-orientated. I can understand how stressful it is because one's future depends on how well one performs during the examination though I personally doubt both are closely related. Should one fall sick, one may not perform well even though one may have had ample preparation.
Should we use examination results as the sole yardstick to measure a student's success in life? Why are we so wedded or disillusioned to the idea that everyone has to achieve something to be someone?
Every child is special in his or her own way. He or she may not be the smartest student in his school or the most talented sportsman,but if the child has an excellent character, that is by itself worth much more than any number of distinctions. There is no need to compare or compete.
There just needs to be a change in perspective in the way we view success and failure.
As the saying goes, "the difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is the way we view it".
More importantly, we need to realise that it is the process, not the result, that matters most. How much a child learns and grows from his educational experiences is far more important than what he gets in examinations.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Move to make sure all doctors have required skills
PUTRAJAYA: Newly-qualified doctors will have to undergo two years' compulsory housemanship from next year.
Currently, they only have to do a year of housemanship.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who announced the Cabinet decision yesterday, said the move was considered important to increase the knowledge, skills and experience of graduate medical officers.
“This will improve the quality of services and healthcare standards,” he said.
A rotation system of four months in six departments will be implemented. With the newest inclusion being the accident and emergency department, the rest are medical, paediatric, general surgery, orthopaedic, obstetrics and gynaecology.
“We have observed that in the past few years, about three to five per cent of graduate medical officers do not get full registration because they have weaknesses in knowledge or skills,” he told reporters before chairing his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting.
“We cannot let this continue. We hope the move is seen as a positive one by future graduates and we are confident the rakyat (people) will support us.”
After the two-year housemanship, the doctors would have to serve their three years' compulsory service with the Government or its agencies, he said.
Dr Chua said the ministry would apply to the Government to place them under the U43 grade upon completing the two years' housemanship compared to the current U41. The U43 pay scale is RM500 more than U41.
He said the doctors would be able to pursue their specialist courses or Master’s after serving two years' compulsory service compared to the current situation whereby they can only apply to further their studies after three years.
About 1,200 local medical students graduate annually.
Dr Chua also announced the Cabinet’s decision to disallow the future setting up of private cord blood banks because while it was a new service with huge potential to treat specific diseases, there were still ethical issues to be scrutinised.
He said the existing centres would have to apply for a licence from the ministry within the next two months and would be registered under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Hospital Attachment (Day 4)
This is the last day of my attachment. No hard feelings or anything... Just mere enlightenment into the career as a medical practitioner.
- went to a lecture on diabetic retinopathy in the auditorium
- the lecture was attended by most of the MO's and specialists
- learned that laser treatment can never improve one's vision, but it serves to retard the deterioration of the eye due to this disease. (in some cases, the patient's vision deteriorated after undergoing treatment with laser - [50/50 chances of successful treatment])
- got an introduction to the wireless monitoring system which has just been implemented in the hospital. It will ease the work of the hospital staffs whereby they do not have to go bed-to-bed to collect the patients' data. There is a centralised wireless system in every ward. Guess the people have begun to make good use of technology. A good sign....
- spent the whole morning in the A&E (Accident and Emergency) ward
- learnt from one of the MO's about certain medical terms.... such as ORTHOPNOEA ( Thanks 'anonymous' for that piece of info. Appreciate it very much. :-) ) which is a term used to describe a patient having difficulties to sleep while lying flat. For instance, this term is applied when the patient complains that he or she can only sleep with 3 or more pillows
- the MO also told us that in history taking, we will record what a patient says in a layman-style of writing, such as shortness of breath or its abbreviation, "SOB". However, in the examination report, we should use the medical term to discribe this symptom... The medical term starts with a "T"... (haha, should anyone know what the real term is, please do tell me yah.. Couldn't catch properly what the doc had said) - [Now, I have the answer thanks to Joo Ken. It is tachypnoea.]
- feeling tired after doing some work is termed as decreased in effort tolerance
- I also learned how to stitch up a wound. It's easy really... just three knots will do, but we need to make sure the wound is really clean first to avoid possible infections and to have good stitching skills, sufficient practice is a must
- something struck me real deep today... When I was standing at the entrance of the hospital, an old man suddenly approached me and asked me why was I so relaxed... Shouldn't I be working? I replied that I was going back. Then, I noticed that my white cloak was in my hand... It was the cloak which deceived the man's eyes. And again, the man asked what time am I going to start working tomorrow. Haha, my white lab cloak is certainly a perfect deception... Do I really look so much like a doc? There had been patients who approached and asked me questions... Come on lah... I really don't have any decent knowledge in the medical field. My look can really con people, but it is really a good thing that people tend to think that I am a qualified and registered MO :P
Hospital Attachment (Day 3)
A boring day....
Went to Ward 8
Practically, it caters for aged women.. So, not much of learning could be made, but the need for patience was dire.
Went to Ward 8
Practically, it caters for aged women.. So, not much of learning could be made, but the need for patience was dire.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Hospital Attachment (Day 2)
- met Christine Tan at the Terengganu airport... Didn't see her around since graduating from high school. She is currently studying in SEDAYA college, majoring in piano and minoring in guitar. A musician she will be. :-)
- went to the pharmacy department beside the pathology sector
- visited the various satellites at different floors
- learnt that generally, the med from the internal store can last for 9 months, whilst med from external store can last for 6 months only although the separate pure products can last for years before mixing
- that is the main place where private clinics shop for certain drugs
- they are short of pharmacists to prepare and mix the drugs
- we were told that the pharmacists' usual field of job consists of monitoring the drug in the patients' blood (using centrifugation technique), preparing specific cancer drugs (using precise aseptic techniques under the laminar flow) and aiding the nutritionists in preparing food for the premature infants which are short of certain nutrients
- had a casual talk with the Head of Department of Pharmacy on several issues... The recognition of higher institution of learnings in Japan, Taiwan, Russia and India by Lembaga Akreditasi Negara and Lembaga Farmasi and also the approval of certain drugs, which are still not in the Health Ministry list, by Dato' Dr. Ismail Merican, the Director-General of Malaysian Medical Council, were some of the important topics mentioned by her
- she said that drugs which are not in the list usually need 1 month for approval by the Ministry of Health
- there was a instance where a Terengganu girl was prescribed a drug containing the ingredients of Viagra by IJN (Institut Jantung Negara) as a pharmacological treatment for heart
- the girl subsequently tried to ask for supply from the Terengganu hospital, but they did not have it as it is not in the drug list approved by the Ministry. The hospital requested approval from the Ministry, but was turned down as according to the authority, the drug was not specified for treating heart diseases. Fortunately, there was an undisclosed source of med for the poor girl, who was in dire need for the drug. The hospital management then told the girl to inform IJN to supply the drug to her directly in the future. Again, unnecessary red tape or bureaucracy had almost caused a life. This phenomenon is certainly all too common nowadays
- met many International Medical University (IMU) seniors
- learn about the "Grading System" in government sectors. According to the officers, MO's nowadays will start off with the grade of UD41, whilst pharmacists start off with U41
- a lecturer (Dr. Lua) from Universiti Darul Iman, who was formerly teaching in UiTM, came to promote postgraduate studies for pharmacists. The catch? The university is just across the road...just a walking distance from the hospital. In front of your door it is, according to Dr. Lua. Thus, it will be of very much convenience for the pharmacists to further their postgraduate studies
- attended the "Erectile Dysfunction" and "Smoking Cessation" presentation by two of the housemen. The "ED" thingie was not as interesting as expected due to the lack of a good command of English and presenting skills by the housemen. Honestly, Joash or anyone from INTEC with a sound command of English can do a whole lot better than them
- however, the presentation did catch my attention during a heated question-bombarding sessions from 3 fellow Chinese pharmacists. Well, they certainly asked good questions and criticised cleverly with some ingredients of sarcasm
- learnt about Prostaglandin E (ALPROSTADIL) inhibitor and recalled back on phosphodiesterase and cytochrome
- "Penile Implant", which is still a new treatment for ED, is not available in Malaysia yet due to its astronomical cost and the lack of surgeons with necessary surgery skills to implant the device
- it is also worth noting that one of the pharmacists asked the presenter why Viagra (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) should not be used with alpha blockers
- all in all, I had a better insight into the career as pharmacists and the way they work behind the stage though it has little relation with my future occupation
Hospital Attachment (Day 1)
My 4-day hospital attachment (or rather exposure programme) started yesterday...
The location : Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah [HSNZ]
1st day
-ZhaoMing-
The location : Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah [HSNZ]
1st day
- went to the admin department
- waited for one hour plus before the officer from Unit Latihan posted us to our respective wards
- found out that the officer-in-charge is my former maths teacher's husband
- also found out that he is related to Zulfadli, a coursemate of mine in INTEC
- this is such a small world :-)
- basically, we had spent our entire morning at the paediatric ward and eventually called it a day
- lessons learnt :
- medical officers (MO) are not rich as informed and reminded by Dr. Rahsdan [that was the first thing he told us when we first met :P]
- preclinical years are both stressful and hectic
- the ward is like a chess board. MO's and nurses are the chess pieces; the specialists are the players who move the chess pieces on the board to their likings
- MO's work hard around the clock....going from one bed to another of the entire ward, asking the patients questions, referring to their medical history and diagnosing them with possible illnesses
- and guess what? The diagnosis is a premature one. They will then have to follow the specialist for another round around the ward, explaining to the specialist about the patients' various conditions
- the specialist listened briefly to the MO's, asked a few questions to the patients. And there and then, the MO's stand to be either harshly corrected or given a comforting nod by the specialist
- TADA...!And the job of a specialist is officially done after that. The specialist reached for her handbag, gave us a quick glance and said, "My job is done here. But the MO's still have obligations to fulfill. They need to complete their report, do an overall review and carry out every single thing which was instructed by me." OMG, doc slavery will be an issue in decades to come... yeah...considering my personal opinion that the newer generations of docs might be pampered to an even greater extent
- Dr. Rahsdan told us to learn to categorise things in our medical studies later.... for instance, pharmocological and non-pharmacological. This can be applied too in answering the questions later. According to him, techniques of answering questions are utmost important
- though tired of his job, Dr. Rahsdan, a medical graduate from University of Malaya (UM),still put great efforts in cracking cold jokes (really cold) and convincing us to continue pursuing our far-reached dream to become a doctor... The evil reason behind his encouragement? We can help to lessen his workload. *swt* zzzZ...
- to a certain degree, I think MO's need to have durable legs and strong backs if we consider the hours spent beside the patients' beds. FIY, I had almost broken mine. Thanks god my femurs and backbone are still intact
- oh yeah, and another thing... one of the housemen, who seemed very anxious, revealed to us that what she learned in Russia is totally different from what is required in the local hospital and that she needs to really struggle now
- wonder whether Malaysian Medical Council had looked into this issue thoroughly... Really pity the houseman for this. Imagine studying overseas for years and come back with nothing, but the must to start everything for all over again
- paediatric ward is different from other wards in terms of the time spent on attending to the youngr patients. Blood-taking, for instance, is much easier with adults than children. And, the questioning is directed towards the parents, which sometimes becomes extremely troublesome as they might be unsure of their own child's conditions
-ZhaoMing-
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Home Finally
The horrendous one-week-plus End of Semester examination had come to an end at last, and so was the gala feasting trip in Melaka. But, the days at home has just started... And it did start off well.
:-)
:-)
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