Innerpeace

In the news


"More medical degrees recognised here". The Straits Times Monday, March 27, 2006. It's rare that I reading the papers on a weekday, I'm supposed to be reading my Nation Building notes now!! I don't know if this is a coincidence or what, but the 'blue moon' day I pick up the papers, there has to be such a news report. What if I did not go downstairs for a break? I might not have seen this report. But anyway, it's nothing much.


It says that the Health Ministry is expanding the number of medical university degrees which are recognised in Singapore, to ease an expected SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS. Oh really..then why are there people like me and Roy deprived of the opportunity to study medicine and hoping day and night and years for admission into the medical faculty, when those guys say that they are short of doctors?! "This will make it easier for hospitals and other institutions to recruit foreign-talented professionals and ease the future crunch on doctors here." Why recruit foreign-talent which is more expensive and serves to make the Singapore society furthur more "rojak"?


I analysed a little, thought about it and came to a conclusion. I should have known earlier. Singapore lacks the resources, it's just a pity that my country is small. I guess the facilities that NUS Med has now is inadequate to nurture more healthcare workers, is it? I don't know..perhaps our very rich government can consider building a larger medical school instead of more condos? The other problem is that our locally-trained doctors are abandoning public hospitals and heading for the more financially-attractive private practice? My previous work at OGSS allowed me to interact with several top O&G specialists in Singapore and yea, the feeling I get is that the senior doctors who are working in public hospitals are looking forward and waiting for the opportunity to set up their own private practice. Once I asked Tian's dad why and he said perhaps there're politics in government hospitals which is not very attractive to the doctors. So, by recognising more foreign medical university degrees, is the Health Ministry tackling the root of the problem, that they are losing their doctors to private practice?


I don't know la..if only I have the money to go overseas to pursue medicine like Wing and Sarah. Anyway what the UK medics do looks much more than what our medicine friends are doing at NUS. Our friends have 3 papers for their MBBS pros while people in UK have to sit for 8 papers, with such a diverse range of subjects. But nvm la..at least health care in our beloved country is faring much better than our neighbouring SEA countries, that's why Singapore is receiving an increasing number of foreign patients.


So many more foreign universities are recognised now but looking at the list, I still can't afford any of them!! I saw some Japan universities! How exciting to study there for 5 years!! I can go skiing and snowboarding every winter muahaha. Ok back to reality, no money no dreaming. I can only afford to go Malaysia..hahahaha..but I think even if the Malaysian medical degree is recognised, I will not consider it. If it is fated, I shall survive my 4 years of Bioengineering and then with a degree at hand, I can hopefully find a proper, well-paying job in UK/US while pursuing my post-grad medical degree. Work and study, that's quite common for adults right? That seems to be a 2nd hopeful path for me, though it makes me wonder when I'll get married. My poor future husband might have to pay for everything, the wedding, house blah blah..because my salary has to be channelled to my post-grad studies. How ah? I'm afraid that men are put off by women who spend so much time studying when they should be perhaps..ensuring the survival of their kind?? (yea you know what I mean) haha. I'm talking nonsense already. I need to focus on my revision now. =)