A Doc's Life is a underground Medical Blog about some poor Singapore doctors. They are sibei sian and very buay song. Best practices not observed!
(Warning: Grammar is non existent in this blog. Those obsessively compulsive about good English please go no further and book an appointment to see your psychiatrist in Singapore.)

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

New Year Resolution 二0一四 (Part 1)

Wah so fast another year pass.  During the countdown my friend was telling me it's the year 13 to 14 so in Chinese it's 一生一世,which means together for a lifetime. So romantic meh? As a lokun, we know life is not a solvil et titus advert. To me 13-14 is more like 一生一死, one live one die, hahahaha.... (4D also never tiok... chey!)

Anyway, its a brand new year and we are living in uncertain times here in ever changing Singapore. Dr Og has gotta make some new year resolutions to keep things  一生一世 instead of 一生一死!

Resolution 1: Learn Tagalog

Once upon a time, Hokkien was the real lingua franca in Singapore (don't believe what the history book say). Learn Hokkien and you could communicate with 90% of all folks in a hospital (patients and staff included), ar kar jeet (buddy buddy) with the Hokkien beng in your platoon (important coz they intro ah lian to you) and curse in style at the bicyclist who did not keep 1.5m from your precious Beemer! And most importantly, order a proper bowl of mee pok tar mai ter kwa.

Fast forward to 2014, Hokkien now has limited use, especially in the hospital ward. To have the best bang for the buck and for my time, Dr Og has decided that he has to pick up Tagalog. Whilst our dear Filipino colleagues surely speak England, learning Tagalog will allow Dr Og to eavesdrop on the nurses and also make it easier to order chickens... at Jollibean of course. Doing ward round and being the only non Tagalog speaking person can make you feel really lonely sometimes, even if you are the senior doctor leading the round.

Maybe after I learn Tagalog, Dr Og will finally be invited to Christmas party!

Resolution 2: Teach More

It's not like Dr Og don't take tutorials for students and junior doctors loh but now tutorials and lectures are more like infotainment than teaching. Due to 360 degree review, means students feedback will affect even senior doctor's performance. Wah! Like that cannot be too fierce... or stare to hard at some of the inappropriately short skirt and low cut blouse... ahaha. Instead, to garauntee good scores from students, better to allow them to walk in and out of tutorials, take phone calls from boyfriend / girlfriend and entertain them with the latest gossips in the hospital. Gone are the days when the students stand in attention and await with trepidations their turns to answer the tutor's questions. I'm sure the girls always had the easier questions! Damn kelong lor! But hor to all clinical teachers / lecturers out there, these days, must be careful, cannot anyhow be seen with students or chin chai accept their prezzies. Wait tiok lim kopi at Lengkok Bahru ar!

Anyway, for the betterment of medical education, Dr Og resolve to go back to the old school way in 2014. Teach with tough love! So students and trainees watch out!


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