Another milestone in life

I have neglected this blog for quite an extended period of time.

There is a lot that I want to talk about.

2011 is the end of my basic medical education. As a cohort, we have grown together, not just in medicine but also in life experience. Medicine is not just a career. Doctors do not just practice medicine as a job, but I would say it has already shaped our character and way of life. As a professional, there is a code of ethics to adhere to. I would like to quote one of my university professors, "Treat your patient kindly but never sleep with them."During our back to base week (last week of medical school when they try to cram everything sensible into our tiny brains), we were also taught the danger of social networking sites such as FaceBook. Hence, there goes "never 'friend' your patients". This opens a whole real realm about practising modern medicine. I hope I will not treat medicine as just a job. I want to remain passionate about medicine. Some time in the future, I would like to practise medicine around the globe. Speaking about combining work with leisure (i.e travelling) !

Much to my dismay, I have to leave Melbourne and come back to Malaysia for training as I am a scholar. It is just that I have grown so familiar to the comfortable way of life in Melbourne that deep down, I am petrified. Despite growing up in Malaysia, I found it foreign in many ways. Due to the extended period living overseas, I have lost touch with many family and friends, as well as the culture and standard of living back home. There have been a lot of misunderstanding and lack of trust in relationships that I cherish. And it has been a difficult time for me. In a way, I really miss life in Melbourne. I miss the camaraderie of my friends, especially my Australian friends whom I may not meet for the next decade or so. To my surprise, I managed to forge very close rapport with some of them. (I found it very daunting to approach them during my first year of stay in Melbourne due to cultural difference and lack of common interests and perhaps my lack of understanding in the Oz slang.lol). I also had to sell my first car (proudly a Toyota Corolla sedan) which I parted with much regret. I have tasted freedom, so maybe it is fair to go back to reality and face my fate.

I do not know what to expect from this new chapter in life.  There is a lot of uncertainties at the moment; the biggest one being job application. Even though the whole process has been streamlined, there is still much to improve in terms of red tape and collaboration between the various departments. I am contemplating about purchasing a new car. Gathering the advice from the experienced, I am probably going to get a Toyota Vios sedan. Being carless is just not compatible with Malaysian lifestyle because public transport is virtually non-existent. So, first loan in my life!

With great expectations come great responsibility :)