Thursday 27 July 2017

Housemanship (HO-ship) in Malaysia

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Hi! I'm back and still alive! xD

So far, so good. Housemanship life isn't as shit as it seems. Though it is too early to give a conclusion on it, but life as a houseman has its pros and cons.

Currently wrapping up my second posting in HPSF, Muar. 8 months into working as a HO, days gone by so swiftly, that I can't even believe I'm moving to my third posting here. Feels like there so much more to learn, yet 8 months passed by and 1 year and 4 months to go to complete this medical internship.

Day by day, I went through many ups and downs. Ultimately, there's only one thing that matters in this job - your competence at the end of this training period. Can you imagine being left alone at a district health facility without any specialist or seniors, having to face tricky situations or cases, ALONE? Having gone through this little amount of postings, I have yet no confidence to be left alone making big decisions like of those mentioned.

I'm lying if I say I've never felt like quitting this job to find other alternatives to this career. I did, multiple times. But with one leg already in this boat, almost reaching half the journey, there's no point of wasting my afford that had been put in all these while. Yes, you could argue, we should follow our heart and passions - to do what we love and to love what we do. But those are merely just sayings, in reality, those sayings are rather unrealistic. At least, to me.

Not gonna rant much here. Life is to be grateful of. I have a job, a shelter, transport, food, adequate money and good company. What's not to be thankful of? :)

Final advice to newbies and soon to be newbies to HO life in Malaysia :
1. Know basic clerking skills and physical examinations.
2. Plan your rotations arrangement well (if possible), start with the calmer departments first. This depends on your hospitals.
3. You and everyone else will face the same thing as first posters, it's just how you react and how you handle the situations that differs on how well you'll cope on.
4. Seek help and always ask if you don't know. No point being clueless and continue being clueless for days. (or you could just google if you don't know, lol)
5. Be a great team player. TEAMWORK is super important.
6. Don't leave shit to people, or else, face shit from people later.
7. Be helpful, and you'll see amazing help coming your way when you need it most.
8. Remember to eat and pee and wash your hands every now and then. LOL.
9. Care for patients with empathy, have a little kindness, treat them like family. But if they are too manja, hmmm.
10. DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO YOUR COLLEAGUES! Because you will not know what the end looks like for everyone. You just focus on carving your career, live your life as colourful as you possibly can. ;)

Well, this is pretty much a general advice to everyone, really. Life isn't so hard if you don't think too much about it. Just live everyday like there will be no tomorrow.

Surgical department gave me life :D


Till later. Pray that this journey will be smooth sailing. Amiin.