Surgeon's instinct

Really can’t remember and recall back when was the last time I sitting in front of my laptop and write blogs to be updated. Sharing my life with others through this medium requires certain writing and communication skills. I find communication through writing and talking is totally two different things. My elder brother, Jun Shen once told me that I need to brush up my skill in SMS. His advice, I should SMS more frequent with the others to master the Art Of SMS, especially girls. It may sounds so weird, but it is so true. Expressing through words without face expression, body language, intonation and so on requires a certain level of Art to express well and clear.

As a future doctor, communication skill is very vital for me. Communication among medical personals, between doctors and patients, between doctors and patient’s relatives and other relationship which may appears in the working environment. False communication between nurses and doctors can reduce the efficiency of the treatment prescribed and in the worst case, death. I am still in the process of learning to explore and master this skill.

As a first year medical student in Volgograd, we were arranged to have practical classes in the Regional Hospital for the duration of 1 month. 2 cycles that we have to complete, 1^st cycle in the Therapy department and the 2^nd cycle in the Surgical department.

I had just completed my 1^st cycle in Therapy department last week. We learnt and gained a lot from our lecturers who are working at the department at the same time. My group 31, the so called “Hardcore group of the batch” was always lucky to get the best lecturer. Best lecturer produces best students with the best way. Our class duration, modules, assignments are always the best and top of the list in terms of amount. Honestly, I am glad that we always have such luck with us.

We learn through observations most of the time, because sometimes it appears communication barrier. Learning the Russian system here and have to catch up with the Malaysian system is sometimes tiring. Can you imagine when you found out that what you learnt and trained for so long actually not applicable? I never and shouldn’t stop catching up with the current Malaysian system. Thanks to Venus, student nurse in Assunta Hospital. Learning through skype is fun!

Currently in the surgical department is the most trilling and exciting one. Surgery is what most of the doctors dream of, although not all the time. I always dream of standing in an Operation Room with only the most brilliant people in it to save lives. Got influenced by watching Grey’s Anatomy from season 1 till 7.

Finally I stepped into my dream for the very first time. I watched a Femoral Artery Bypass Grafting (FABG) surgery for nearly 2 hours. 3 surgeons working on the patient had blocked the view as the incision area is not very huge. Barely see and understand anything but the feeling was so great. The feeling of being God’s mechanics. Tired of standing on my toes throughout the surgery.

I got to watch Angioplasty’s surgery too. Surgery to dilate the narrowing of blood vessels using a stent with balloon, only a small incision is made on the forearm region to minimize recovery period and followed by the insertion of the stent with balloon into the vessels, then access it to the narrowing area. This surgery is very common too back in Malaysia for heart patients.

In books, we learnt that the puncture of artery, vein and capillary can be differentiated by the blood spill. This is because of the pressure presented in artery is the highest, followed by vein, then capillary. According to book, puncture of artery is described as “fountain”. That day, I saw 5 fountains in the operation room of angioplasty. 

What I got to say is that, surgery is lots and way more interesting compared to therapy. But not everyone can become a great surgeon. Qualities and credibility of a surgeon is sky high. I don’t know and still have no decision yet to become a surgeon one day. But what is for sure is that, blood is not an obstacle for me.

I miss home so much! Can’t stop thinking of my summer holidays. I want to go back home, I want to look at 

my new house, I want to sleep on my new bed in my new room, I want to have Malaysian food till I drop from Penang to Ipoh, I want to go anywhere I want to go, I want to have outermost freedom at home. 

“Spending time apart from someone shows you how much you really need them in your life.”

Future surgeons