Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Budapest Trip
Just returned from a wonderful 3-day trip to Budapest. It's a beautiful city, with excellent public transport and lovely food, and it's cheap too. What more can a budget traveller ask for. What made the trip more wonderful than it already is, is the presence of my 2 good friends. As we are all moving away from Cambridge, it will be our last (maybe not!) trip together. And we had a great time!
Friday, 27 March 2009
Last shift
I have completed my last shift ever in the National Health Service, UK as I officially resign on April 1, 2009. What a way to end my working life. I was working the night shift for the Intensive Care Unit for the past week and it has been one stormy week. Every night, I had patients to review up on the wards, and as I was reviewing them, they arrested right in front of my eyes.
Oh no.......I can feel my pulse race and the adrenaline rush to my brains to keep me on auto-pilot. Start chest compression, 30 to 2, 2 minutes up, check for pulse, no pulse, everyone clear, shock now, resume chest compression.
Within minutes, the cardiac arrest team arrives and I feel relieved but still hyper-active from the adrenaline rush. The patient finally has a pulse and we bring her down to the Unit. Unfortunately, she does not survive the next few hours.
Despite my rants and complaints about the NHS, I will be forever grateful for the training that I received from the wonderful Consultants and SpRs who took the time and effort to work within the system to provide us with the teaching we needed. At the end of the day, it is these people within the system that makes it all worthwhile.
Am off to Budapest tomorrow with 2 friends for 3 days. Praying for good weather!
Oh no.......I can feel my pulse race and the adrenaline rush to my brains to keep me on auto-pilot. Start chest compression, 30 to 2, 2 minutes up, check for pulse, no pulse, everyone clear, shock now, resume chest compression.
Within minutes, the cardiac arrest team arrives and I feel relieved but still hyper-active from the adrenaline rush. The patient finally has a pulse and we bring her down to the Unit. Unfortunately, she does not survive the next few hours.
Despite my rants and complaints about the NHS, I will be forever grateful for the training that I received from the wonderful Consultants and SpRs who took the time and effort to work within the system to provide us with the teaching we needed. At the end of the day, it is these people within the system that makes it all worthwhile.
Am off to Budapest tomorrow with 2 friends for 3 days. Praying for good weather!
Monday, 23 March 2009
I'm leaving
After thinking about it over the weekend, I've decided. I'm leaving the UK for the US. After 8 years in the UK (6 years studying and 2 years working), it's time to pack up and leave.
A few people have asked me why I am leaving, actually more importantly, my parents are asking why I am leaving the UK. I have a job offer for the next 2 years, and I shouldn't have a problem getting my post-graduate training in the specialty that I want, provided I continue what I am doing now. My dad feels that it's a waste as I will lost my opportunity to obtain a PR from the UK and I have to start afresh in the US.
I can totally understand his point of view. I, too, have been deciding on the pros and cons of staying or leaving, although my reasons are completely different from him. For the PR issue, I am not that fussed about it as I do not intend to make the UK my home in the distant future. However, at the rate that the UK Home Office keeps on changing their immigration rules, who knows if I will still be eligible for a PR in 2 years time, or if I am allowed to remain in the UK to work. Better to leave now than being forced to leave 2 years later.
As for starting afresh, I don't exactly mind either. Yes, 2 years is quite a long time, and yes, I ain't getting any younger, but in the grand scheme of things, 2 years is nothing. I have experienced working life in the NHS, I have seen the daily routine of work, and they all adds to my education.
For me, the dilemma was leaving London, the capital of England, for a small town in the middle of USA. Yes, I am a city girl. I work hard, but I also like to play hard. Being in Cambridge was great as I could go down to London to watch musicals, plays, operas and concerts easily. As my next job, if I had taken it up, would have been in London, I am giving up the opportunity to live in London.
Lots of people whine and complain about London, but to me, London is a cultural city. It has everything you want. The shopping, the parks, the museums, and the buildings. All full of culture and history. I can still vividly remember walking along the Embankment at night, experiencing the cool summer breeze and seeing the Tower Bridge beautifully lit up. And walking across the Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the distance. Every trip to London was always a joy to me. Simply put, I love London. And I doubt any city in the world can compare to it.
On the other hand, I have to think of my own career goals. I have been given the opportunity to train in one of the top university program in USA for internal medicine. If it had been any other community programs, it might have been harder to persuade me to move. However, this is a university program that prides itself on medical education, research and their care for patients. It would be silly of me to turn it down.
So, I have decided to leave the UK.
A few people have asked me why I am leaving, actually more importantly, my parents are asking why I am leaving the UK. I have a job offer for the next 2 years, and I shouldn't have a problem getting my post-graduate training in the specialty that I want, provided I continue what I am doing now. My dad feels that it's a waste as I will lost my opportunity to obtain a PR from the UK and I have to start afresh in the US.
I can totally understand his point of view. I, too, have been deciding on the pros and cons of staying or leaving, although my reasons are completely different from him. For the PR issue, I am not that fussed about it as I do not intend to make the UK my home in the distant future. However, at the rate that the UK Home Office keeps on changing their immigration rules, who knows if I will still be eligible for a PR in 2 years time, or if I am allowed to remain in the UK to work. Better to leave now than being forced to leave 2 years later.
As for starting afresh, I don't exactly mind either. Yes, 2 years is quite a long time, and yes, I ain't getting any younger, but in the grand scheme of things, 2 years is nothing. I have experienced working life in the NHS, I have seen the daily routine of work, and they all adds to my education.
For me, the dilemma was leaving London, the capital of England, for a small town in the middle of USA. Yes, I am a city girl. I work hard, but I also like to play hard. Being in Cambridge was great as I could go down to London to watch musicals, plays, operas and concerts easily. As my next job, if I had taken it up, would have been in London, I am giving up the opportunity to live in London.
Lots of people whine and complain about London, but to me, London is a cultural city. It has everything you want. The shopping, the parks, the museums, and the buildings. All full of culture and history. I can still vividly remember walking along the Embankment at night, experiencing the cool summer breeze and seeing the Tower Bridge beautifully lit up. And walking across the Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the distance. Every trip to London was always a joy to me. Simply put, I love London. And I doubt any city in the world can compare to it.
On the other hand, I have to think of my own career goals. I have been given the opportunity to train in one of the top university program in USA for internal medicine. If it had been any other community programs, it might have been harder to persuade me to move. However, this is a university program that prides itself on medical education, research and their care for patients. It would be silly of me to turn it down.
So, I have decided to leave the UK.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Matched to?
Throughout the day, I wasn't able to concentrate on the on-going lectures. My mind was only focused on one thing. The results of my US job. It didn't help things that my SpRs who knew about my application, were absolutely convinced that I had matched at my first choice program. I, being the ever pessimist, was not too convinced.
The results would be released at 5pm UK time, which meant that we would still be in the car, on the way back to Cambridge from Harrogate. I tried not to think about it by sleeping along the way. As we dropped people off at their respective houses, one SpR invited me to come in to check my results. I kindly declined as I always preferred to be alone when receiving either good or bad news.
However, he and everyone else insisted so I had no choice but to check my results.
And....
I couldn't believe it. I had matched to my first choice program! Triple yay!
I didn't believe it until I check 2 separate websites to confirm that I had indeed matched at my first choice program.
Wow! I am dazed and shocked! This is indeed a life-changing experience for me, if I do take up the offer.
The results would be released at 5pm UK time, which meant that we would still be in the car, on the way back to Cambridge from Harrogate. I tried not to think about it by sleeping along the way. As we dropped people off at their respective houses, one SpR invited me to come in to check my results. I kindly declined as I always preferred to be alone when receiving either good or bad news.
However, he and everyone else insisted so I had no choice but to check my results.
And....
I couldn't believe it. I had matched to my first choice program! Triple yay!
I didn't believe it until I check 2 separate websites to confirm that I had indeed matched at my first choice program.
Wow! I am dazed and shocked! This is indeed a life-changing experience for me, if I do take up the offer.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
BES 2009
Am in Harrogate to attend the Society of Endocrinology BES 2009 meeting. I was very fortunate to get a free place, which means the conference fee, travel expenses and accommodation are covered. Yay! Actually, more importantly, time away from work! Double yay!
I was placed in the Cairn Hotel, which was conveniently located near the Harrogate International Centre (HIC). They offered an excellent free English breakfast in the morning, which I took advantage of. I think I must have put on a few pounds in weight, as my usual breakfast is only a cup of Milo.
I was quite keen to attend this conference as I was part of a team that was presenting a poster on a clinical case on insulinoma. My SpR was presenting the poster but it was nice to see my name on the same poster as well. =) I also made sure I stood next to him when the examiners were coming around to review the posters. Good learning opportunities for future poster presentations.
We didn't win any prizes, but I didn't expect to as it is quite rare for clinical cases to be awarded prizes. Usually, basic and clinical research and audits create more impact in terms of clinical relevance and thus, they are rightly rewarded prizes for their hardwork.
While the conference was on-going, I had another pressing issue. The results of my US job interviews were due out this week. I found out on Monday that I have been offered a job. But they haven't told me where. I only find that out on Thursday. Out of the 5 interviews I attended, I had only listed 2 programs which I was willing to work at. I really, really hope I get my first choice program.
Finger's crossed, it will all be revealed tomorrow.
I was placed in the Cairn Hotel, which was conveniently located near the Harrogate International Centre (HIC). They offered an excellent free English breakfast in the morning, which I took advantage of. I think I must have put on a few pounds in weight, as my usual breakfast is only a cup of Milo.
I was quite keen to attend this conference as I was part of a team that was presenting a poster on a clinical case on insulinoma. My SpR was presenting the poster but it was nice to see my name on the same poster as well. =) I also made sure I stood next to him when the examiners were coming around to review the posters. Good learning opportunities for future poster presentations.
We didn't win any prizes, but I didn't expect to as it is quite rare for clinical cases to be awarded prizes. Usually, basic and clinical research and audits create more impact in terms of clinical relevance and thus, they are rightly rewarded prizes for their hardwork.
While the conference was on-going, I had another pressing issue. The results of my US job interviews were due out this week. I found out on Monday that I have been offered a job. But they haven't told me where. I only find that out on Thursday. Out of the 5 interviews I attended, I had only listed 2 programs which I was willing to work at. I really, really hope I get my first choice program.
Finger's crossed, it will all be revealed tomorrow.
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Lack of sleep
Had my interview with the Oxford deanery on Friday for a training job, to begin in August 2009. It's basically for general medical training for 2 years, followed by another recruitment process for specialty training later on.
As my interview was at 10am in the morning, I had planned to go to Oxford the night before, stay in a hotel just adjacent to the interview centre and have a good night sleep. I was fortunate that my consultant let me leave work early to prepare for my interview.
Unfortunately, despite his good intentions, I misplaced my SatNav charger, thus couldn't drive to Oxford. I doubt I was in a safe state to navigate myself there via the AA map. Thus, I took the train instead. Trains from Oxford to Cambridge are really annoying as it goes down south to London, and then one has to change train to get to Oxford. Extremely time-consuming, hence my earlier decision to drive to Oxford.
As it turns out, I reached my hotel at about 10pm and was extremely exhausted by then. As I had not prepared for my interview, I started to get really stressed over it and was unable to sleep well the whole night.
And it showed during the interview. I was asked a very straight-forward clinical scenario. A scenario that I come across daily in my current job. A scenario that I knew from the back of my hand (well, almost!). But I messed it up. Badly!
I was very disappointed with myself. Extremely disappointed. Have only myself to blame for not preparing earlier and getting stressed about it.
Well, interview results will be out in a week's time. I am not hopeful, but at least I have another interview with the London deanery, which is my first choice.
As my interview was at 10am in the morning, I had planned to go to Oxford the night before, stay in a hotel just adjacent to the interview centre and have a good night sleep. I was fortunate that my consultant let me leave work early to prepare for my interview.
Unfortunately, despite his good intentions, I misplaced my SatNav charger, thus couldn't drive to Oxford. I doubt I was in a safe state to navigate myself there via the AA map. Thus, I took the train instead. Trains from Oxford to Cambridge are really annoying as it goes down south to London, and then one has to change train to get to Oxford. Extremely time-consuming, hence my earlier decision to drive to Oxford.
As it turns out, I reached my hotel at about 10pm and was extremely exhausted by then. As I had not prepared for my interview, I started to get really stressed over it and was unable to sleep well the whole night.
And it showed during the interview. I was asked a very straight-forward clinical scenario. A scenario that I come across daily in my current job. A scenario that I knew from the back of my hand (well, almost!). But I messed it up. Badly!
I was very disappointed with myself. Extremely disappointed. Have only myself to blame for not preparing earlier and getting stressed about it.
Well, interview results will be out in a week's time. I am not hopeful, but at least I have another interview with the London deanery, which is my first choice.
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