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- How To Survive “On-Night” As An Orthopaedic House Officer – Housemanship in Malaysia
- How To Survive EMOT As An Orthopaedics House Officer – Housemanship in Malaysia
- How To Survive As An ETD / ED House Officer In The Orthopaedics Department – Housemanship in Malaysia
- Pulling Through My First Tagging Experience As An Orthopaedic House Officer – Housemanship Diaries
- My Daily Morning Routine As A House Officer In The Orthopaedics Posting – Housemanship Diaries
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- My Support System During My First Posting In Orthopaedics As A Junior Doctor In Malaysia – Housemanship Diaries
I was in the Orthopaedic Posting for 4 months. 4 months went by both rather slowly and quickly. I remembered going through the posting, wondering if I will ever be done and also before I knew it, I was done!
Along the way of course, there were various people in the posting who advised me. Some gave me words of encouragement, to lift my spirit in order to carry on because I seemed rather hopeless and lost. Most of which were unsolicited of course yet stuck with me even till today.
1. “Just work hard every day and before you know it, you’ve finished and before you know it, you’re a specialist”
This was told to me by a specialist while I was in the operating theatre, OT. There was no emergency cases being called and thus I proceeded to hang out in the Trauma OT where the elective cases were being held. I was seated at a corner, writing and we talked for a bit and I asked for some word of advice as a new House Officer.
2. “Try to enjoy housemanship. It’s actually quite fun.”
I was the ETD AM House Officer for the day and this specialist was bringing me around, encouraging me to involve myself on the hands on procedures while teaching along the way. The specialist then proceeded to ask me on how I spend my day off and that I should enjoy it. Having just moved to Kuching, Sarawak, I said that I rarely ever go out and most of the time, I find myself going to work even during my day off.
It was as if a lightbulb switched on inside my head. Prior to joining housemanship / internship, I was upbeat and determined. Determined that I was going to make it an enjoyable experience for me.
Somehow along the way, I’ve forgotten about it and I was reminded again.
3. “Tap yourself on your shoulder for showing up everyday because even that in itself is hard. One year from now when you look back, you’ll realise how far you’ve come and how much you’ve grown.”
This was told to me by a senior while I was still tagging. I remembered that it felt as if it was going on for the longest time and I definitely was not looking forward to getting up in the morning and going to work the following day. I struggled to see the purpose and I was at the verge of breaking down.
Yet, those kind and wise words reignited the fire that was slowly dying inside of me.
Every time I struggled to see my purpose or I felt like giving up, I would remember that all I needed you to do do was to keep showing up no matter how useless or worthless I felt.
4. “Everybody pays their dues”
There are good days and also bad days. Unfortunately, controlling the type of day is not within our reach. The only thing we can do is to do our utmost best while we are on our shift and try again the following day.
Those bad days are difficult days and it is during those days that we need the most help, be it externally or internally.
It depends on your interpretation of this sentence.
However, for me, my outlook on this is that if I were to be generous, helpful and selfless when asked or needed, help will always be there when I need it. Irregardless, if it is never from the same person. There always seems to be an angelic soul within arms reach to reach out whenever I need it.
5. “Just go with the flow, just ride with the wave.”
This was said by the chillest person I have ever met. I happened to be the ETD AM House Officer at that time and it was a rather “burning” day. The referrals kept piling back to back and I felt like as if it were never going to end.
It felt like as if we were drowning and being the house officer on duty, I felt extremely helpless as I watched my boss carrying out the necessary for each patients seen.
I admired how a person who almost always “burn” every time he were to be on duty was able to remain chill and trusting of his house officers and still picked himself up to carry on the following day.
“How do you do it?”, I asked him and that was what he answered me.
6. “Just remember, we are here to serve.”
My respect just immediately shot up when I heard those words.
I happened to be the house officer on duty again that morning and it was another “burning” day. The referrals kept piling back to back and I simply could not keep up with his pace.
He is a very quick person and sarcastic but has a good heart. Maybe that’s why it was hard to fully hate him for his intentions were always in the right place and that underneath that sarcasm, he means well and was willing to go the extra mile for his patients.
A trait that I’ve observed one too many times in him.
That was my purpose. Irregardless, I didn’t know yet in terms of my speciality of interest, but I knew that at the end of the day, it is all about service and that is our form of contribution back to society.
7. “At the end of the day, nobody cares. So, make sure you take care of yourself.”
This was told during my very first EMOT experience. I was scared because I did not know him nor have I worked with him previously.
However, working with him turned out to be one of my most enjoyable experience and it was during one of the early weeks of my first posting.
The meaning of those words did not hit me till sometime later.
People will scold and let their frustrations out on us. It is somewhat a norm here. It happens. However, it is best not to take it personally and let it affect is mentally because at the end of the day, just like he said, nobody actually cares, well, except a few individuals and our family members.
Thus, it is best to always prioritise our mental and physical health in order to continue.
8. “It’s hard at first but it always gets better.”
My senior told me this during one of my early days in my posting and I’ve actually forgotten about it.
However, I never forget how she stayed by me during my first night as ETD PM House Officer and taught me how to function.
She made ETD fun for me and thus, that’s why I love the ETD shift and also the EMOT shift. True, that it is indeed tiring but I would rather take on those shifts than ward duties.
After many months, I ran into her again. She was in a different posting by then and we chatted for a bit. I thanked her for her help during my first night on that shift. I felt supported and guided and I was more than grateful.
It was then I was reminded of what she told me. This is something I’ll carry out with me all throughout my housemanship journey.
Of course, these are just 8 advices and there are numerous others that came along the way but these are the advices that plays in my mind on a regular basis.
Related Posts:
- How To Survive “On-Night” As An Orthopaedic House Officer – Housemanship in Malaysia
- How To Survive EMOT As An Orthopaedics House Officer – Housemanship in Malaysia
- How To Survive As An ETD / ED House Officer In The Orthopaedics Department – Housemanship in Malaysia
- Pulling Through My First Tagging Experience As An Orthopaedic House Officer – Housemanship Diaries
- My Daily Morning Routine As A House Officer In The Orthopaedics Posting – Housemanship Diaries
- The Orthopaedics Posting – Housemanship Diaries
- My “Coming Morning” Priority – Housemanship Diaries
- My Support System During My First Posting In Orthopaedics As A Junior Doctor In Malaysia – Housemanship Diaries
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