It feels great to be a student, to study as you are told, pass those exams, commit to church and make God a huge part of your life, stay out of trouble while keeping in touch with friends and family.
But what happens when it comes to the working life?
Was chatting to a House officer the other day about the perks of being a student. Work as a junior doctor, she said, starts with being swarmed by paperwork all day, being on call during late night shifts, at the mercy of nurses who often page you too frequently for the most trivial unnecessary tasks. Spending your spare time catching up on much needed sleep and hanging out with close friends and family much less often than usual. Perhaps even spending less time serving in church as you used to, and sometimes its not even a choice.
Being pretty much on your own actually with no one to cover your back, plus there's a boss to answer to, responsibilities to be accountable for. Oh, and she went through a period of clinical depression before she adapted to the system at SGH.
Its sounds pretty discouraging actually :(
But having chosen to study Medicine, surely like many other hopeful doctors-to-be out there, we must have considered the ''toughening'' years as a mandatory rite of passage, something all physicians have to undergo before they can finally present themselves to society as fully-licensed life-savers?
Whoever said life as a doctor was glamorous and comfortable, easy and secure?
Maybe its particularly the Chinese folk. And thats why they encourage their daughters to marry doctors/doctors-to-be.
Btw, its a huge misconception.
Most of the docs I've seen on post-call have greasy oily hair, stale bad breath, dark eye rings and wear baggy scrubs all day. Sexy? Hmm.......
Being instructed by senior doctors, nurses and even demanding patients for careless slip-ups and unforgivable mistakes...Secure?
Having to survive on few hours of sleep, doing ''monkey'' work and getting meagre pay, forgetting that a social life exists out there, keeping out of the limelight, doing as you are told...
Life in Singapore as a Junior doctor sure sounds daunting!
I'm holding onto His promises....(!!)
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