mastering the mastery

I hope we won't make the Profs cry.

For last few days, all the new trainees and chief trainers, mostly high-profiled profs for master in the art of Obgy were gathered in the small Resort City known as Bukit Gambang Waterpark for orientation.

'Orientation' in the medical world can bring back contrasting feeling to what the word 'Waterpark' might have brought us.

Although deprieving of all the rituals of the borderline frightening undergrads' orientation shebangs, the better knowledge of what we are realistically stepping into, sort of tired our minds out. However, our own in-house, closed door discussions, strategizing and interpretations of the course taking into accounts of personal-family dynamics, between unitmates did drain away most of our unnecessary fear and panic away.

The daily 630am morning exercise, evening telematch, teambuilding and outdoor activities did managed to take out mind off things, but at the same time, tired us out physically.

This was the first year, Entrance Exam and the compulsory RM 500 commitment fees were imposed to deter the casual admission into the master program, resulted in the shrinking numbers of candidates of around 25 as compared with the 50 of previous year.

Compromising efforts from each Unis in order to make this course as conjoint as possible should be applauded. No doubt.

Somehow, we couldn't help it but felt that our batch is sort of a guinea pigs cohort in this new system of examination and assessment, which according to profs, is still within the domain of discussions to gear up to a fully conjoint course.

Main reasons for this revolution (as explained by the Prof) can be summarized into high drop outs due to lack of commitment and excruciatingly painstaking comments by the senior members of the fraternity regarding the dropping quality of postgrads of Master. Hopefully, this revolution will spill over to undergrads training to curb dangerous and apathetic junior doctors from gaining their ground into the current escalating morbidity and mortality count.

At this point, we are all definitely being thrown into a fiercer fire, the council of this Conjoint Board probably should realize that the momentum of their efforts and agreement (or disagreement) should seek the proper direction and balance.

For, although the fiercest fire make the best sword,
it can also cause a total meltdown.

As for the breaking ice and bring all the trainees closer, this exercise of orientation did gain vast groundwork.

And I was glad, I was blessed with great unitmates - Chua, Mau and Tan, whose I think in future will be great study companions, gearing up to take our new unchartered course as a smooth-sailing affair.