November 9, 2018

MY LIFE IN ALOR SETAR (2013 - 2016)




My much-travelled life journey moved on to a new place in June 2013. I reported duty at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar on 4/6/13. My second stint in Kedah. Though JKN Kedah was never my favourite, I had no better choice at that point of time. My 1st choice for Masters out-campus was Kota Kinabalu in fact. But thinking back, I feel it was a blessing in disguise as UKM did not endorse training at KK. Hence, I resorted to Alor Setar…and I never regretted this.

I was truly blessed to have Subasni and reunion with Rabeah for out-campus Masters in HSB. Of course we had Gan as well in our group. We were joined by my good friend Sopian & new friend, Sasi (Suba’s husband) – they were Orthopods candidates. Last but not least, I reunited with my hiking buddy, Hasan – pharmacist !

Early days (2013)

1)      Accomodation

I stayed at En.Asri’s (my senior MA at HSJ; who was kind enough to offer his house at Alor Setar) house for 3 months. Reluctantly he accepted rental at a reduced rate. His house was at Taman Kelisa – Mergong. I spent that year’s Ramadhan in this house. Occasionally joined by my parents. On 2nd month, I was joined by 3 MAs; whom I had worked with at HSJ – they came for post basic training.

I found a house very near to hospital, after a tough search. However, the house was not really up to my expectation. Looked almost dilapidated. At the same time, my friend Ruben (Surgical MO) told me that his quarters have an empty room. I applied to stay there but the reply from person in-charge was always negative…”meeting not been fixed yet” Hence, I made a decision to just move in to the house (illegally) in November 2013. In December, Ruben left to KL for 6/12 attachment. So there I go, alone in the house..literally squatting, awaiting approval.

I decided to forego my deposit for the “dilapidated” house. I stayed on at the quarters until July 2014.

2)      Colleagues

Starting at a new place is always tough. So as when we started at HSB. Acclimatization is not always smooth. Junior colleagues gave us the toughest challenge. Being a senior in service, but junior at a new work place, we had to endure lack of respect from certain junior colleagues. The worst experience was with on call roster. The irresponsible roster-maker will give himself and his cronies light on calls as compared to us and other non-cronies.

Certainly there were clans among MOs in the department & team-work was lacking. Alhamdulillah not all were like this. Some of them were good and exhibited good team-work & respect to each other. Nevertheless this was the first time im working in a department with 25-3- MOs! So was quite a rude culture-shock I would say.





3)      Specialists & Consultants

Fortunately, most of them were nice…especially consultants. The eye opener and embarrassing part was that some of the specialists were in fact my batch of House-Officers or just a year senior to me. So I know how badly delayed I was in pursue of postgraduate qualificationL

4)      My routine life

As usual, I will start with ward rounds/clinics.  Here in HSB, we have clinics everyday – either morning of afternoon. On calls will be 5-6x / month. We had 4 on calls/day + 1 cardio call – mainly done by those in cardio dept.

In a nut shell, life was busy; not really enjoyable the first few months. Having Suba, Rabeah was a huge relief. We tend to vent out our emotional distress, to each other. Occasionally with Sopian as well. Alhamdulillah, I was spared the traffic jam since moving into quarters.

Night time will be my study time. Back to Uni time..staying up late or waking up early to read. I was well determined to prepare myself for MRCP & MMed exams. I decided to go for MRCP after a few months in HSB. So I signed up for part 1- 1st diet in Singapore (Jan 2014)

On weekends which I am not on call, I will come back Penang, that will be like twice a month. Sometimes parents will come over to Alor Setar.

After all the relationship setbacks I faced in 2011/2012, I felt more relaxed, being unattached & was fully focused on my studies & work. Alhamdulillah


2nd chapter (2014)

Jan 2014 – took a week break. Thanks to my understanding colleagues in my ward at that time..Yeoh CH, Ng BH & Hani.

Flew to Singapore for my Part 1. It was my first exam since May 2006 J Check out my entry on this trip : http://aslam1403.blogspot.my/2014/09/finally-i-am-here.html

Between Jan – May 2014, I sat for 2 written exams & 1 clinical exam. There was another in July 2014 (MRCP Part 2). Check out on these trips here : http://aslam1403.blogspot.my/2014/12/finally-i-am-herecontinuation.html

In June 2014, I was officially in 2nd year of MMed. Hence, started my sub-speciality postings. Started with Endocrine : June-Aug. During which I attended 2 drug co sponsored talks in KL (it was a back-to-back talks on one weekend) One on GH, the other on insulin at Le Meridien & Park Royal respectively. Brought along my parents; and yeah brought them to meet my brother too. These are the maiden talks I have attended outside of Kedah (since 2011). In fact, only my 2nd & 3rd drug co-sponsored talks in my entire career. Thanks to Dr Shafinaz – my kind-hearted endocrinologist & my guru!

I started visiting old folks home/orphanage on this year. During Ramadhan in July 2014, me along with Suba & Sasi visited Bethel home at Pokok Sena. And I went to another home at Padang Terap just a day before Raya.

In August I have moved out of quarters as my friend Ruben quit his Masters programme and decided to return to KL. Hence, I can no longer stay at the quarters. I stayed a month at a homestay in Kuala Kedah. Only in Sept 2014, I managed to get a house for rental in Kepala Batas, Kedah. It cost me RM450/month – unfurnished. Moved in there, bought some furnitures. It was a mere 15 mins drive to HSB.

It was during my stay here, I got Dengue! http://aslam1403.blogspot.my/2014/12/dengue-and-i.html

Life after July 2014 was more relaxing as I am done with all my exams (for now) and more focused in my works. However, life after 5 was more unmeaningful. Come back home to an empty house. I went back Penang every weekend. I joined several running events too this year..after a long break.

Sept-Nov : I switched to Respiratory posting to  get a break from busy general medicine calls. Was quite fun, doing bronchoscopes & Pleuroscopes, as well as being able to go home on time!

I was determined to go for my PACES the same year.  I had my first go at comm.skills & History taking as per PACES format while I was in Respi posting. My great buddy Yew Yan Xi guided me & we practiced together. As was being encouraged by my top guru, Kantha. I tried for the 3rd diet in Brunei/Myanmar but were unable to secure a place. Being in the right environment, with right people really helps to boost our confidence & determination!



3rd Chapter (2015)

Dec 2014 – Feb 2015 : I was back to mainstream general medicine – this time for Gastro posting.

I was in ward I1 (male chronic ward in old hospital) and would attend all gastro procedure days. Got my hand at the scopes a few times. Attended all Gastro clinics. Had a great time particularly under Dr Kiew & Dr Zalwani. Of course the ever encouraging Datuk Radzi was there too. He sent me for a MSGH conference in Kuantan under Gastro budget in Feb 2015.

End of Feb, was supposed to be my final month in HSB. Prepared a farewell for everyone at MOPD (having given a treat in June 2014 – with Suba after passing our exams). Was off to KL the last day of the month.

March – went to KL with my mom. As she was adamant to follow me & to stay at my brother’s place. So, took her along, stayed there for a week; while I started my life at IJN. First one week, I would go along my bro – in one car; either his or my PKG 6050. Morning trips will take average 1hr 15 mins. Longest being 2 hours! Coming back will be similar. As we leave a bit earlier, around 4.30pm, we were fortunate to reach in less than 1 hr 30mins most of the days. In mean time, I managed to get a room for rental in PV Platinum Lake Condo, Setapak. A room with shared bathroom for RM520/month!

Life in KL/IJN was pretty much routine, though relaxing. Routine weekdays will be; to leave home by 6.45am. Reach IJN about 45 minutes later. The later I leave, the longer I’ll have to be on road. Usually a quick breakfast, followed by ward rounds. Later rounds with trainee & consultants. Then go for a big breakfast with my fellow attachment buddies (Kumutha, Pradeep & Tharshini). Actually, there were 6 of us. I was particularly close with these 3. After that, settle ward works (rarely have any) or go to ICL lab to observe or run clinic. Clinics for us were like once in a fortnight. Best part of clinic must be the flask of coffee they give us. Certainly, the best coffee I have ever tasted! If nothing in ward, ICL or clinics, I would spend time in library or ECHO room. Lunch will be at IJN cafĂ© or the stalls outside IJN. Prayers (including Jummah) will be at  IJN Surau at level 7.

Usually we will leave by 4.30pm. The journey back to my apartment will take max 15 minutes only! As compared to minimum 45minutes in the morning. Back home, after Asar, will be mostly at home. Will spend Maghrib-Isya at near by Surau.

I made one of the most important decision of life while at IJN. That was to go for PACES in UK! I met 3 trainees whom went to UK for PACES without attending courses there. Then I thought if they can make it, why not me? I was very skeptical of going UK for PACES before this. But since I did not get a place even after twice application to sit in KL / Brunei, I considered UK; and the words from these guys really pumped me up to go for it. Then I got to know my friend, Syamir is applying for UK as well.

So I applied and alas! Got a place via Edinburgh College, to sit for exam at Bishop Auckland Hospital (a district hospital). I got to know this barely 2 months prior to exam. My exam is slated to be on 2 JULY 2017! I spent more time on the books since registering for PACES. What I lacked was, practice time & partner. And course as well. I never attended any form of PACES course.

So, I applied to attend a one-day course and mock exam (as observer) in Hospital Batu Pahat. Thanks to Shartiyah, manage to get a place. Things were so difficult at that time, even to get a place to attend courses/mock exams! Everything needed an inside person. As the one in Batu Pahat was more of a mock exam, I felt that I needed a proper course and decided to head to Hydrebad – for a 4 days course (in May 2015) Initially planned to go Calcutta, but had to change as could not prepare visas etc in time.

So, left to Hydrebad with my mother. Since taking my mom along, I decided to stay 3 more days…making it a week’s trip to Hydrebad. The course in Hydrebad was not up to expectation. A 4 days course without Mock Exams. And we managed to see only 30 pts in total. However, it was in Hydrebad where I met Joyce, whom had been a great practice-buddy to me. Back to KL, every day after work & every weekend, we will meet up to practice. I’ll go to her place and often we meet up at HKL or even at dining place at times. It was also in May when I made 2 trips to HSB (during weekends) to practice with my buddies, Yew YX & Chin. Really grateful to them. I would just stay overnight at HSB during weekends.

At the end of May, I made another moment-defining decision, to defer my Masters by 6 months. My intention being, I need to get back to HSB to prepare for PACES intensively & to quit Masters for good if I’m able to pass my PACES. So, I made a U turn, back to HSB on 2nd June 2015. Dr.Zal allowed me to choose which ward I want to be. Hence, I chose 5c…which has always been a sanctuary for lots of us.

First few days were tiring explaining to people why I am back to HSB. I had one month before PACES. No place to stay at Alor Setar. So, I would travel daily Bertam-Alor Setar (I got my Bertam house key in Dec 2014). Weekends I would stay at Alor Setar (on call quarters); practice with Yew YX & Chin. I even did 4 calls in this one month. Mid of June, Ramadhan started. Life was quite taxing..travelling Bertam-Alor Setar daily & staying up late night to study. But no pain no gain yeah!

I flew to Edinburgh 6 days before my exam date : http://aslam1403.blogspot.my/2016/02/my-journey-to-west-part-1.html

The best moment of my life came 3 days before Aidilfitri on that year, when I got to know my PACES result. The ensuing months were good at work, but not my personal life. Again, mom stood between me & my hope of marrying my girl of choice.

I started doing specialist work & on call in October 2015. Attended placement meeting the same month, given Kulim as I requested. But due to request by Datuk Radzi, I stayed put in HSB. Life was pretty much routine till end of the year. I commuted from Bertam daily. Tried to find a house to buy in Alor Setar, but failed due to “malay reserved” status of houses near by HSB.



Final Chapter (2016)

After spending 2 months in Hemato ward, at the end of 2015, I was placed in ward 4c (a general male medical ward; with ID consultants as the heads) Nothing much to talk about in the beginning. Entered 2016 with a hope of staying in Alor Setar for long. However, after multiple attempts to buy a house failed, I reluctantly started to think of applying for transfer to Kulim.

Finally made up my mind to request for transfer after I met with an accident in April 2016. An accident on highway, involving 5 cars; mine being the front most. My car’s back bumper was badly damaged. So, I went to see Datuk Radzi & Alhamdulillah, he was supportive, though a bit reluctant to sign my transfer letter J

Fast forward…got my transfer by July. But upon Datuk’s request, was delayed till September 2016. Officially I reported duty at Kulim on 18 September 2016…on the day, 10 years ago I reported to QEH as a houseofficer.

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3 years 3 months : this was my time in Alor Setar.

Alor Setar will forever be close to me. The people were amazing; particularly patients! Working in HSB was an eye opener. Despite my disagreement with certain colleagues, overall was superb & really miss them. Bosses were fantastic & approachable (at least most of them). Not much of issues when it comes to inter-department relations (except with Anaes..haha)

The town was more relaxing, slow paced. Of course you can’t stand the pace of Alor Setar drivers..super slow! Food was mediocre. Nothing to shout about.

I achieved my goal of coming to Alor Setar..which was to pass my MRCP. Gained invaluable medical experience along the way. Worked with some great consultants & colleagues. Experienced working with difficult colleagues. Endured sleepless on call nights. Did stay-in specialist on calls. Shifted house 4 times. Life was not easy, but towards the end, became enjoyable. I left HSB & Alor Setar with my head up, feeling satisfied. Hopefully I have done to the best of my ability to all the patients I met & treated. A move back to HSB is not to be ruled out J

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