Is life so great or what.

This is the end of my social life as it is. Not that I had one to begin with but with ward rounds starting as early as 6.30 am and classes finishing at 6pm, I do believe the end of my existence as I know it has come.

I've just spent 10 hours in the hospital today with only a half-hour lunch break. Substract two hours of travelling time and seven hours of sleep from the day, that leaves five hours for cooking dinner, eating dinner, reading and catching up and well basically nothing else.

I love my radiology tutor. She's so eccentric and cool she's got a whole library named after her in the hospital. She even X-rayed her teddy bear which she kindly placed it alongside the other films.

I have to say the registrars and interns at the Alfred are pretty GOOD-LOOKING. :) And a girl does need her eye candy especially on those long days.

Going for my first ward round with my registrar tomorrow for my general surgical rotation at 7 am. Yay. Read: so enthusiastic. That's followed by 4 hours in theatre for anaesthetics, lumbar puncture and MRI procedures ending with PBL at 5.30 pm. Wednesday is 7 am to 6 pm too.

Is life so great or what.

I'm not really whinging. Well ok I am. But just a bit. The Alfred is famous for its long schedules and rigorous learning and I knew that when I chose to go there. And I am happy that I am at the Alfred because there's so much learning opportunities it just never stops. Tutors who are not even attached to us are willing to give extra bedside tutorials and every door is basically open to us once we mention we're medical students.

I'm happy to do that everyday if the faculty would just cut down on the stupid wishy-washy shit we can't seem to escape from. Imagine this. We have to produce a research essay on sociology, yes sociology, about the politics in the ward. And for every damn thing we do, we need to write stupid reflective essays on them. Reflect my ass.

At least I have a pager. I even feel a bit like a professional when I clip it on and walk around the hospital with my name tag, pen and notebook. Shiok.

I can feel myself becoming bolder everyday. Read: tak malu. Talking to complete strangers everyday and greeting them like they are my long-lost best friends seems to be the thing. From scary consultants to non-existent registrars (they never answer your pages) to the patients in the wards who allow you to invade their privacy and watch procedures where all modesty is impossible; there are new people to meet everyday.

I will never forget the elderly patient who must have felt so embarrassed when he fell on the floor and messed up himself in his own faeces. And while he laid there in his mess as the nurses cleaned and washed him, I stood there immobilised throwing soiled towels into the bin and forcing myself to swallow my own bile. I wonder how it must have felt like to have a complete stranger witness such an undignified situation.

Public transport is growing on me. Like every commuter, its always best to wear runners (track shoes) when commuting. It allows you to accomplish that 200 m sprint from the train that arrived 4 minutes late to the tram that arrived 2 minutes early. From short cocktail dresses to Armani look alike suits, we all have one thing in common: we wear track shoes and carry backpacks. Talk about fashion misfits.

I'm off to bed now. Alarm set at 4.30 am.

Yay.