It's that all too common feeling I get when it seems like everybody else gets a weekend except you. Some people get jealous that I get 6 weeks of annual leave each year but we pay for it in lost weekends. And working nights. It's easy for non-medical people to take their cushy 9-5 jobs for granted. I happen to be working night shifts starting Saturday night to Tuesday night. Go me.
Anyhow I've just done my first week of O&G and it's by far the most disorganised and chaotic run I've had the displeasure of working in so far. I suppose it is a "senior house officer" role we're supposed to be doing and I guess I'm not used to working without the supervision of a more senior doctor present. I mean sure, there are people around, but they're just really hard to get hold of. Especially when it's your first week and you haven't done O&G in almost 2 years. It's been a bit rough. Fortunately it's not just me and the others are feeling similarly as well, and we help each other out, which is nice. Hopefully things will get better.
I've recently accepted a job offer in Auckland for which I'm due to start in November but have no idea which DHB I'll be working at and no idea what runs I'll be doing. Seems kind of unfair how we have to resign 3 months in advance yet the DHB's have no obligation to tell you anything about your new job. It's amusing how last year when I tried to apply for a job they were really pushing me to work for them whereas this year they're not even bothering to care if I had all my references in on time. I'm wondering if it's becoming an employer's job market again. How can I have any bargaining power about my runs if I've already resigned from my last job and can't go back? It's so bizarre. The things I do to get out of Hamilton.
Seems strange how I'm going to be leaving Waikato Hospital finally. After working there almost 2 years now the system is so familiar to me, the way things work and the people to talk to. It's going to take time to get used to a new system again. It's not like I wanted to be in Hamilton in the first place but the work wasn't too bad at all. I just wish there were more things to do and more people around to do things with. I've already arranged to go back to Auckland next weekend to catch up with a few people and have a break from Hamilton since if I stayed in Hamilton I'd probably just stay in my room, play games and sleep. Not much of a life at all. What's the point in having weekends off when there's nothing to do? May as well go back to work?!
Anyhow this is a somewhat random post on a random Saturday before my night shifts start. I haven't put much thought into this post but then again it's hard to say I put a lot of thought into this blog into the first place. I'm not even sure who reads this stuff, probably mostly bored facebook stalkers since that seems to be where most of the traffic comes from. If you're one of them, get off facebook and go do something useful with your life :P
2015
2014 was an interesting year for me. Plenty of things happened, some of which I don't really want to share at the moment but with time will probably end up on here sooner or later. I guess in many respects 2014 was the first year I spent being fully independent. Paying my own rent, bills, insurance, living in another town in a place not owned by my parents. Of course, I've been away from Mum and Dad from the age of 17 so I suppose it wasn't a huge step up. So long as I have a steady job doing the above things isn't really much of a challenge so to speak. Some people would say that I was spoiled to have relied on my parents for so long but I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only asian who did that.
Aside from that, what else did I do in 2014? I went on two, 2-week overseas holidays to Japan and Australia! Now those are trips I will be sure to remember. Particularly Japan. Something about that country really left a lasting impression with me. Perhaps it was the efficiency, the whole way everything was done sensibly and practically (like trains always being on time, practical instructions always being given, etc.), or perhaps the way people dressed, the fashion, or maybe the work ethic, the city life, the shopping (where I can find stuff that actually fits me!). I don't know where it ends. So many things about that country amaze me. I definitely want to return there. Someday. Perhaps while I am still relatively young. But yeah, Japan is awesome. Australia? Well Gold Coast is a quick getaway for those who live close by. Good for young families, too. Melbourne is basically a bigger badder Auckland with trams. It was a nice change of scenery, though.
Career-wise, I managed to survive my first year of being a doctor and gained my general registration! Hooray, go me. Not much else to say here. I guess I've gotten more used to being a relatively efficient (if I say so myself) House Officer and seem to be getting myself home on time more often, and find ward calls and work in general less stressful than I did when I first started. Things sometimes do get better. Still haven't managed to LP anyone yet, though. Put in a few dozen cannula though and done some minor surgery, which is always fun. Can't say I'm getting many procedures on psych (besides ECG's, which don't count) but oh well.
I guess 2014 is probably the first year I've been taking exercise and fitness seriously as well. Since the beginning of the year, I'd signed up for 12 months of gym membership and managed to go about 2-3 times a week for about 75% of the year (not great, I know). Towards the Spring and Summer though I started ditching the gym to go for runs outside and since then I've been running 5-6km about twice a week. It's definitely a start, for me anyways. I don't think I'm much of a gym person though, the environment is just so artificial and I'm more or a cardio person anyways, and you can get most of your cardio from doing more stimulating things like sports and running. On top of my gym-ing and running I've been going to weekly badminton and squash sessions with friends which I really enjoyed, and definitely want to keep these going into 2015. Exercise in general is great on so many levels. It has so many benefits, it seems stupid not to do at least some every week. Fighting chronic diseases, depression, boosting your energy levels and improving sleep are only some of the many benefits exercise has to offer. You don't need to be a doctor to know the feeling a great workout has on your body. In saying that however, I think I overdid the squash in the last few weeks since I managed to tear my rotator cuff, forcing me to have some time off the court. There is such thing of too much of a good thing, so it seems.
So what do I want to get out of 2015? I guess I haven't been too bad at fulfilling my New Years' resolutions to date (probably since I've been setting the bar pretty low!), so I'm hoping 2015 will be another successful year. Previous resolutions include passing medical school, improving my communication skills and exercising more. I guess these are ongoing things which I need to continue improving regardless (ie. career and personal development). But what about 2015? Aside from just those things should there be something else I should be aiming for? I think there is, but I don't want to share it here just yet. Perhaps the timing is not right. There will be something I want to do in this year, that's for sure. If it's not that, then it'll have to be something else. I'll make the most of it regardless.
Well I hope everyone reading this has a fantastic 2015 too and makes the most of every opportunity it presents itself with. I'm not sure reading this self-absorbed post about my accomplishments is a great way to spend it but if you've made it this far I'm assuming you're finding at least a mild form of entertainment reading it so please continue to do so, if it pleases you. I'll finish this post with a few pictures I took while out in Waikete Valley yesterday with my family.
Happy New Year!!
About Me
- Lunatarius
- Hi, I'm Jeff! Welcome to my blog, where I share random thoughts and things about my life. Enjoy :)