A pre-Taster

It has been an exhausting day.

It is only the 3rd day of my shadowing week at SGH and I am already starting to feel the effects of fatigue from prolonged standing seeping in. Along with the sporadic spikes of Cortisol screwing up my body, which has long been attuned to the langorous pace of the gloriously well-spent 6 months. This is a major transition from slackness to interminable drudgery.

''The Houseman-ship year will be tough....''

I sometimes do wonder if this statement has made its own proclamation too often already. Like how Medicine is already so over-rated (in my opinion), I have drawn inumerable gasps of amazement/horror whenever I tell others that I am back home for good with a job at the infamous Battle-field (Singapore General Hospital) to be one of their grossly underpaid and overworked slave dogs (house officer). I have been cautioned by my father, my seniors, other doctors, my friends who know other doctors, and even the odd taxi-driver Uncle that I will either make it or break it.

To qoute my dad, ''Housemanship is like undergoing a Baptism of fire. You come out enlightened and humbled.''

I'm not resenting this decision. I don't think and I definetely hope (!) that I won't look back in regret. Despite the hectic week, I have already learnt alot. About Life, about people, about the human body. Its pretty hard to explain. Medicine is so ingrained in the culture here, that interestingly enough, it becomes more interesting. Doctors fascinate over the ten different causes of hypokalemia (do we seriously need to know that many??) and work themselves to death. Being part of the team, I am dragged along into this madness of intensity to get my job done and learn on the go. Scary.

In throwing myself at the ''deep end of the pool'', I am blessed with the unconditional support of my family, the comfort of indulging in my Grandma's cooking and the warmth of my own bed.....there's nothing more I can ask for.

I may feel inadequate and under-prepared, but I know that if God got me through Medical school, He will not forsake me now that I approached a new Beginning of an End.