Study-induced Euphoria: where, after 6 or 7 hours of intense cramming non-stop, the student feels a feeling of intense euphoria. There is a feeling of light-headedness, whereby the student finds everything amusing, and will happily sit and giggle at the world. This has been likened to the euphoric feeling of drunkeness, and indeed the student is unfit to drive or dial. More aptly, it can be likened to the psychotic feeling of lightness that a person may feel, if that person were heading for the gallows.
Worship-induced Euphoria: where, after worship, the person feels a lightness of being, general happiness, and invincibility. Unlike Study-induced Euphoria, the person does not feel psychotic. Although this is generally a good thing, it can be slightly dangerous if the person is driving. At hearing a worship song on the radio, a worshipper may sing out loud. The feeling of indestructability may induce irratic behaviour.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Time to buy a bikini...
They said to us, in the first week or so: "You will meet some amazing people, develope some amazing friendships, that will last the rest of your lives. Because you do everything together, you will get to know your PBL group really well..."
I underestimated that last statement. Allow me to explain. We need to learn certain things involving the chest - for example, listening to breath sounds, heart beats, taking ECG's, etc etc. We learn to do these things on our peers, which means one guy from the group takes off his shirt and the rest of us poke and prod and then he has a go on someone else, usually another guy. But, sooner of later, one needs to learn to listen to female chests too, which is why sometimes girls wear a bikini top and the guys practice on us. Well, that is how it is supposed to go in theory. In the end, when we get assessed, we don't know whether our 'patient' is male or female.
I don't actually own a bikini top. In fact, the only time my shoulders ever see the light of day is when I am at home, or when I am wearing my one-piece. I had been meaning to go buy a bikini, but I keep forgetting, and I don't actually know how you would go about buying one anyway. How does the sizing work?
So anyway, this morning, at 6.30am, I woke up and thought: crap, we have respiratory assessment today. I don't have a bikini. I need something without underwire. Rummaging through my drawer (in a rush, as usual), I come up with the only bra I own that doesn't have underwire. It's old, it's got fluff all over it, and looks strangely mangled. Somehow, in the early-morning-fuzzy state that my brain was in, I thought: it will do.
Fast forwards to about 5pm. The assessor was male. The person being assessed (ie examining my respiratory system) was also male (let's call him X... hehe). So I found myself sitting there wearing a tank top (about as much exposed as I ever get) while X checked my fingers, eyes, nose, mouth, tonsils. Then he says, pretending to be the doctor: "Ok, Sida, I'll just get you to take your top off if you don't mind...".
What? This? But I wore an uncomfortable underwire-less bra today so you wouldn't have to do that!
"Er? This? Really?" I said
"Er, well..." Says X, turning to look at the assessor.
"Well, that is usually the way we do it. But only if you're comfortable." Says the assessor, kindly.
No, I am not comfortable with it! It's not that I am a prude, really. I am not comfortable with showing off my mangled old bra. I might be OK if I were wearing a bikini, or a normal bra with a bit more coverage. But right now? Comfortable with it? Of course not!
"Er, no, that's ok." I said. So the tank top is off. I had never felt so embarrassed in my life.
Of course, the rest of the examination was completed, in a typical doctor-patient manner. My friend X carried it off with professionalism, and I was soon able to put my shirt back on. (Actually, earlier that day, he'd said: "Well, we've all seen breasts before anyway." I wonder if he realises that he may be used to seeing breasts, but breasts aren't neccesarily used to seeing him. But either way, let me reiterate that I was not mistreated at all by my mock doctor (haha)... It's all me being the prude that I am. (Yes, I know that I just contradicted myself. It happens.) )
So, dear reader, I'll bet you're just in tears right now. That's right, go ahead and laugh at my misadventures. What does one learn from this experience?
Well, for one thing, buy a bikini before the cardiovascular assessment. Let my story be a warning to all girls out there who are contemplating doing the MBBS course.
Secondly, and (perhaps) more importantly, to remember that we (health professionals) may have seen all parts of the human anatomy a gazillion times (which I, as a radiographer, have), the said human anatomy may not be used to seeing us. What will one day become a routine part of our job, will be an embarrassing and perhaps even distressing experience for our patients. And, never underestimate the amount of humiliation experienced by a 20 year old asian girl, faced with two male colleagues on a mock hospital bed.
I underestimated that last statement. Allow me to explain. We need to learn certain things involving the chest - for example, listening to breath sounds, heart beats, taking ECG's, etc etc. We learn to do these things on our peers, which means one guy from the group takes off his shirt and the rest of us poke and prod and then he has a go on someone else, usually another guy. But, sooner of later, one needs to learn to listen to female chests too, which is why sometimes girls wear a bikini top and the guys practice on us. Well, that is how it is supposed to go in theory. In the end, when we get assessed, we don't know whether our 'patient' is male or female.
I don't actually own a bikini top. In fact, the only time my shoulders ever see the light of day is when I am at home, or when I am wearing my one-piece. I had been meaning to go buy a bikini, but I keep forgetting, and I don't actually know how you would go about buying one anyway. How does the sizing work?
So anyway, this morning, at 6.30am, I woke up and thought: crap, we have respiratory assessment today. I don't have a bikini. I need something without underwire. Rummaging through my drawer (in a rush, as usual), I come up with the only bra I own that doesn't have underwire. It's old, it's got fluff all over it, and looks strangely mangled. Somehow, in the early-morning-fuzzy state that my brain was in, I thought: it will do.
Fast forwards to about 5pm. The assessor was male. The person being assessed (ie examining my respiratory system) was also male (let's call him X... hehe). So I found myself sitting there wearing a tank top (about as much exposed as I ever get) while X checked my fingers, eyes, nose, mouth, tonsils. Then he says, pretending to be the doctor: "Ok, Sida, I'll just get you to take your top off if you don't mind...".
What? This? But I wore an uncomfortable underwire-less bra today so you wouldn't have to do that!
"Er? This? Really?" I said
"Er, well..." Says X, turning to look at the assessor.
"Well, that is usually the way we do it. But only if you're comfortable." Says the assessor, kindly.
No, I am not comfortable with it! It's not that I am a prude, really. I am not comfortable with showing off my mangled old bra. I might be OK if I were wearing a bikini, or a normal bra with a bit more coverage. But right now? Comfortable with it? Of course not!
"Er, no, that's ok." I said. So the tank top is off. I had never felt so embarrassed in my life.
Of course, the rest of the examination was completed, in a typical doctor-patient manner. My friend X carried it off with professionalism, and I was soon able to put my shirt back on. (Actually, earlier that day, he'd said: "Well, we've all seen breasts before anyway." I wonder if he realises that he may be used to seeing breasts, but breasts aren't neccesarily used to seeing him. But either way, let me reiterate that I was not mistreated at all by my mock doctor (haha)... It's all me being the prude that I am. (Yes, I know that I just contradicted myself. It happens.) )
So, dear reader, I'll bet you're just in tears right now. That's right, go ahead and laugh at my misadventures. What does one learn from this experience?
Well, for one thing, buy a bikini before the cardiovascular assessment. Let my story be a warning to all girls out there who are contemplating doing the MBBS course.
Secondly, and (perhaps) more importantly, to remember that we (health professionals) may have seen all parts of the human anatomy a gazillion times (which I, as a radiographer, have), the said human anatomy may not be used to seeing us. What will one day become a routine part of our job, will be an embarrassing and perhaps even distressing experience for our patients. And, never underestimate the amount of humiliation experienced by a 20 year old asian girl, faced with two male colleagues on a mock hospital bed.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
quick post
Just a quick post.
I am aware that right about now, many people across Australia are waiting for their Gamsat results (or maybe they have already received it... I don't know.) Anyway. I wish everyone all the best - unfortunately not everyone gets high results (otherwise the results won't be considered high), but if you didn't, then you will come to realise that the added year you get to work on it is really a blessing cos you can relax for another year. I don't think the GAMSAT is about intelligence, and am always the first to try to convince people that I'm not smart. (They seem easily persuaded to believe that I'm not smart. Is this a good thing?) I think that getting into medicine is more about perseverence. (AKA: too dumb to know when to give in.)
Special best wishes to my friend Teresa, who probably doesn't even know about this blog, to Aung, my anonymous reader, and to the-guy-I-met-at-the-supermarket-checkout-but-forgot-his-name. Hope to see you guys in medicine next year.
On my side of the world, I am doing fine. No, I lie. I have a feeling of impending doom. But I will be okay. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Finally, I just want to share something I read by Philip Yancey AGES ago but never got around to posting it:
"For some reason, I find it much easier to show grace and acceptance toward immoral unbelievers than toward uptight, judgemental Christians. Which, of course, turns me into a different kind of uptight, judgemental Christian." - Philip Yancey, in his book Reaching for the Invisible God (Zondervan, 2000)
Hehe, I guess I am an uptight judgemental Christian too.
I am aware that right about now, many people across Australia are waiting for their Gamsat results (or maybe they have already received it... I don't know.) Anyway. I wish everyone all the best - unfortunately not everyone gets high results (otherwise the results won't be considered high), but if you didn't, then you will come to realise that the added year you get to work on it is really a blessing cos you can relax for another year. I don't think the GAMSAT is about intelligence, and am always the first to try to convince people that I'm not smart. (They seem easily persuaded to believe that I'm not smart. Is this a good thing?) I think that getting into medicine is more about perseverence. (AKA: too dumb to know when to give in.)
Special best wishes to my friend Teresa, who probably doesn't even know about this blog, to Aung, my anonymous reader, and to the-guy-I-met-at-the-supermarket-checkout-but-forgot-his-name. Hope to see you guys in medicine next year.
On my side of the world, I am doing fine. No, I lie. I have a feeling of impending doom. But I will be okay. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Finally, I just want to share something I read by Philip Yancey AGES ago but never got around to posting it:
"For some reason, I find it much easier to show grace and acceptance toward immoral unbelievers than toward uptight, judgemental Christians. Which, of course, turns me into a different kind of uptight, judgemental Christian." - Philip Yancey, in his book Reaching for the Invisible God (Zondervan, 2000)
Hehe, I guess I am an uptight judgemental Christian too.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Updates
Realised I hadn't written in this blog for ages. In fact, possibly a record time.
How have I been doing? Good, and bad. Good because despite everything bad I recieve strength from Him (so I must give Him credit, although His strength comes in sporadic amounts and is unpredictable). Bad because of everything else. Where do I begin? I don't think I want to begin. I don't want to be negative. Well, I am negative, but I don't want to spread it. Sida, think of something positive to share with the internet at large.
Hmmmm.
This Sunday, someone said something really strange to me. I must give you the background. The person who said this is probably one of only a handful of non-Chinese speakers in our church. (I can count them on one hand, perhaps even on 3 or 4 fingers). This weekend, he sat next to me, so I proceeded to translate the sermon for him.
After the sermon, he said: "Now don't get embarrassed. But I think that you're a really strong woman, and that you're really in touch with this world but also with God and what He wants." (Incidentally, if you've read my previous entries, this is the same guy that randomly shared Isaiah 18:30 with me during a tough period.)
Now, that's positive. But you have no idea how long I sat there brewing over exactly what that sweeping statement meant. I'm not like that, really, and God knows it. Ever the cynic, I thought :"ha, if only you knew". But it was nice, anyway.
There you go, something positive.
How have I been doing? Good, and bad. Good because despite everything bad I recieve strength from Him (so I must give Him credit, although His strength comes in sporadic amounts and is unpredictable). Bad because of everything else. Where do I begin? I don't think I want to begin. I don't want to be negative. Well, I am negative, but I don't want to spread it. Sida, think of something positive to share with the internet at large.
Hmmmm.
This Sunday, someone said something really strange to me. I must give you the background. The person who said this is probably one of only a handful of non-Chinese speakers in our church. (I can count them on one hand, perhaps even on 3 or 4 fingers). This weekend, he sat next to me, so I proceeded to translate the sermon for him.
After the sermon, he said: "Now don't get embarrassed. But I think that you're a really strong woman, and that you're really in touch with this world but also with God and what He wants." (Incidentally, if you've read my previous entries, this is the same guy that randomly shared Isaiah 18:30 with me during a tough period.)
Now, that's positive. But you have no idea how long I sat there brewing over exactly what that sweeping statement meant. I'm not like that, really, and God knows it. Ever the cynic, I thought :"ha, if only you knew". But it was nice, anyway.
There you go, something positive.
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