Portfolio Done.

Finished my portfolio. It feels good to finish work earlier than the deadline. I started early, so I didn't have to rush towards the end. The best part is I can have a free weekend to work on some side projects (and do some revision). hehehe

Ok. It is not completely finished. I still need to do some corrections and all but the burden is off my shoulder.

Meeting a Deaf Patient

Followed a Deaf patient to the OT today. I realized two things.

1. I need to upgrade my level of Sign Language
2. I really should use it more often. I have forgotten so many signs I cant have a proper conversation any more. sigh.

What Mutant Powers Do You Want?

I actually saw this video a long time ago but decided to share it. So, say you have 50k and you want mutant powers. What would you choose? Please don't choose Ardamantium claws without mutant healing. I do not recommend this unless you want to end up like the two in the video.

My choice would be Telepathy (like Prof X). Then I will mind control that lab guy for Ardamantium claws and Mutant healing for free. I can get all the powers, without paying.. hahaha Great idea huh..

Research and SPSS

It is time I started work on my research write up. It has been delayed for many months now, due to exams and other issues. I cannot afford to push this aside any longer as I only have a few more months in IMU.

I decided to invest some time (though I still have my Ortho portfolio to complete) last night to look through our previous research write up and SPSS data. I realised that we have made many mistakes the previous time.

I now understand what Dr S meant when she said our discussion was too superficial and etc. And I do agree as well on her comments. I guess I have learnt a lot in the last couple of months from writing experimental Case Reports. I can say that I have gained much important experience and maturity. I am now more apt at finding data, citing, preparing manuscript, phrasing of sentences and deciding what is (and what is not) important in a write up. Hopefully this time around, I will be able to prepare a better write up.

We had many errors in our methodology and sampling no doubt. As mentioned, we were all green horns trying out a new task. I obtained my own copy of SPSS yesterday (thank you Ding) and tried to perform some analysis. It turns out that SPSS is not as enigmatic as I thought it was. I guess when you have no choice, you just got to figure it out. After this, I will need to print out all our references and run through them before preparing our discussion and editing our previous write up. I hope I will be able to produce something more substantial this time.

Outcomes of procrastination

Submitted a review for publishing in a journal and received the following respond.


"Thank you for sending us your paper. We read it with interest but I regret to say that we have decided not to publish it in the BMJ.

Unfortuntaely, I just accepted a paper on this exact topic, that is due to be published in December. I think it would be too soon to accept another article on pre-eclampsia as it covers alot of the same content. Apologiesm it was a matter of timing."


Sigh. Perhaps I should have sent it earlier and not waited till now to submit it. The effects of procrastination...

Diablo 3

First heard of the upcoming release of Diablo 3 since Semester 4. The beta version has just been released. D3 will probably be released in a year or so. I played D2 a lot and naturally I just cant wait for D3 to be released. Saw the game play trailer, and it looks good. They have improved it in game play, interface and storyline. Feels more realistic and less game-like now.



There will be 5 character classes. Demon Hunter, Wizard, Monk, Witch Doctor and my favourite Barbarian. Used Barbarian in D 2, will probably use Barbarian again in D3. Many of the new character classes have some attributes from the characters of D2. Demon hunter is somewhat like Amazon+ Assassin of D2. Monk - Paladin, Wizard- Sorceress, With Doctor- Necromancer. But they have been modified to have more specialized characteristic.


Man, I cant wait for this. I'm just worried my PC may not be able to support. I barely have the minimum requirement for RAM, my processor is lacking and my video card is not up to par with the minimum level. Damn it. What should I do? Should I get a new desktop for this? Is it worth it? Checked out the prices. It would set me back approximately RM1600.






Minimum PC Requirements
OS: Windows® XP/Windows Vista® / Windows® 7 (Latest Service Packs) with DirectX® 9.0c
CPU: Intel Pentium® D 2.8 GHz / AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 4400+
GFX: NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800 GT or ATI Radeon™ X1950 Pro or better
HDD: 12 GB available Hard Drive Space
RAM: 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB required for Windows Vista® / Windows® 7 users, 2 GB for Mac® users)
Other: Broadband Internet connection and 1024x768 minimum display resolution

(Note:  Be advised that some wireless connections do not meet the minimums required to be a true Broadband Internet connecton.  Wireless results may vary.)

Diablo 3 Recommended System Requirements

PC Requirements

OS: Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 (Latest Service Packs)

CPU: Intel® Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz / AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 5600+ 2.8 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

GFX: NVIDIA® GeForce® 260 / ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 or better

My System
Windows Vista
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz
Ram 1GB
NVDIA GeForce Go 7200

Official Cinematic Trailer

Monk Gameplay Video

Barbarian Game play

Demon Hunter Trailer Video

Hospital Kluang

For the first time in two weeks, I'm spending a weekday evening at home. No on call tonight. haha Finally have some time to catch up on my ever growing list of learning issues. Right now, it's somewhere around 20-30 items and I'm tackling item nunber ONE.

We went to Hospital Kluang today. It's a district hospital. Going to the hospital felt like going back to the 60's. The hospital ground was huge. It was not a block or two blocks like how hospitals are now. Its a bunch of "houses" clumped together within a wall which forms a hospital. As I was saying this morning, it feels like a "health Village". haha I used the word house because there were multiple small buildings that looked like houses to me. Each unit/ department/ ward occupies one of this house. So radiology takes one, female surgical takes one, male surgical takes one, labour room another, HDW one and so on. As far as I know, that's how our hospitals used to be built. Maybe not the 60's but pre independence. The wards itself felt the same too. Imagine a long corridor, with two rows of beds on the side. That's how it is.

Nevertheless, we managed to discuss a few cases. The visit was alright. There were very few patients there though. I don't want to end up in a hospital like this next time. A hospital like Batu Pahat I don't mind. Kluang? Not really.

Source: wikipedia.
This is UM in the 20's. Tha's how the wards looked like. Don't see wards like this anymore these days.

The Time For Change

"Semester 10 is a time for change." Dato K said so today during our VC. I see what he means by that statement. Semester 10 to IMU is a time where we stop thinking (and behaving) like medical students and start being a doctor. It is a transition period between two very different chapters of our lives. It may not be easy but it is a change we must make. The sooner the better. The time for change has arrived. Make the chance. Take charge of you patients, be responsible and start becoming a doctor.

Today I scrubbed in for OT for the 3rd time. The first was in semester 6 for an appendicetomy, second was during semester 8 electives for a laparoscopic salphingectomy and today was for a loop colostomy. Scrubbing in is always better for learning than just standing around. You get a 1st class view and play a role (small but nevertheless still a role) in the surgery. I must admit that Batu Pahat is much more conducive for students. Perhaps there is much less students here, hence the staff are more receptive of us. It was very easy to get permission to scrub in. Perhaps we should really consider smaller hospitals for housemanship. Food for thought.

Swimming pool at Batu Pahat

It appears that there are no swimming pool in or around Batu Pahat. Tried to Google for it, and the only results I found was hotels with swimming pool. Even that was a handful only. Apparently there is a public pool near Minyak Beku but the review was that it is small, dirty and poorly maintained. There goes my plan to be healthy and swim during the weekend. Anyone knows a place where I can swim in Batu Pahat?

Surgery in BP Day 2

It has been two days since we started our surgery posting in BP hospital. I still keep saying HTJS when I refer to the hospital. hahaha The hospital is great. Something like other district hospitals we have been to ( Kuala Pilah, Miri) but much bigger especially with the new ward block almost ready for use. The staff here are very friendly. Patients are not (yet) scared away by us. hahaha Most patients here speak Mandarin and Hokkien. It will be a good opportunity for me to brush up on my Hokkien. hehe

So far we have been rather busy with ward work and looking for portfolio cases. I have identified my case for Orthopedic and Surgery. Hopefully I will be able to use it in the end. Surgery in Sem 10 incorporated orthopedic. That means we need to cover both wards and attend to both discipline. Plus we have 3 on calls per week plus one weekend call. That's a grand total of 16 calls in 5 weeks. I think (hope) other postings wont be as hectic/ bust as surgery.

BP town itself seems ok. Have not had the leisure of time to look around. So far went to a few shops near my area. Food here is definitely better than in Seremban. Less salty too. And a big glass of fruit juice is only RM4. That's the best. The last time I had RM 4 large juice in KL was in 2002. hahaha

Internet

We finally have internet at our Batu Pahat house. Took a one week trial of Pi Wimax while waiting for our Streamyx tranfer. TM needs to work faster. Sorry P1 for abusing your kind free trial services. We just cannot live without internet in this world we live in.

Batu Pahat

Finally moved to Batu Pahat. Took me 3 hours ( perhaps more) to drive here from KL. Car was loaded till the roof, resembling a mover's van. I hope BP will be a good experience. Six more months to graduation. I have started feeling the anxiety of starting work already.