StudYinG Medicine...a little

Hi friends, this will be my first post, the beginning of the start...I hope!

We are gonna see what studying medicine is all about..

Im a final year medical student at AIMST University, Malaysia, around 5 years ago, i was still in a dilemma whether to choose this course or not...

To tell you frankly, medicine is not a course, its a field where you are about to explore the truth of body physiology and its mechanism on how it will and going to react when it is disturbed..

Its a world of war (disease), where you will be the chief commander (doctor), fighting outside to save the life in which the war is happening (the human body)!!

So, tell you know, if you are not ready to participate in commanding a victory, saving lives..then please stop thinking about doing medicine!

Medicine, is just not all about saving lives, but its about talking to someone and understanding the core of a problem being suffered by fellow human(s)!

Medical doctors(drs) and lawyers are the best counsellors available, in that drs are superior as they understand human psychology better!

In all aspect, drs are regarded as the highest standing profession...whether you are a President of a country or a popper in the street, when you r sick, you meet the doc.!

So, as how it sounds being a doctor...thats how will the course, opps....the field will be!!

In Malaysia, medicine is a five years programme, in most place it is so...some Universities (overseas) require you to do some additional years..

Ultimately, medicine is divided into two parts

a) Pre clinical

b) Clinical

Pre clinical comprises of basic science that you require to fill the actual puzzle later when you treat a patient.

The subjects covered will be:

i) Anatomy: Basically, what and how a human body looks like...you will get to see whats beneath the skin, the muscles..vessels...nerves....bones...just with your naked eyes...it will be awesome!

ii)Biochemistry: Well, its totally different from combining the O level's biology and chemistry, the words, together! The core of biochem will be about how the chemicals in our body works, it will also reveal what will happen if the values of the chemicals are disturbed! Fascinating subject, ones you like it...you will never hate it..but its also vice versa!

iii)Physiology: Simply, if its not because of body physics your heart will not be pounding as you are reading my POST! Every single act, movement, sound, rate in a human body is explained in physiology! An abnormal physiology leads to...PATHOLOGY!!

iv)Pathology: about diseases..and here u will learn what CANCER is all about..and how a swelling appears and why at times its REDDISH!! By the way..secret...CANCER is also known as MALIGNANCY (word used by drs not to hurt patient(s) feelings, during a case discussion in front of the patient!

v) Pharmacology: You love BioChemistry?? This subject has a lot of correlation with it! No pharmaco...no drugs...no CURE!Physiology and Biochemistry are most important when a drug is prescribed!

vi) Microbiology: Common, without knowing how and what causes a disease...what are you gonna treat then?? Micro..as how it sounds...is reading about small livings and how disastrous it could be! Dengue is caused by?? the vector?? Malaria?? heard?? Know the life cycle of the Plasmodium Falcipuram?? Well, we dun even know our own life cycle rite?? why bother about microbes?? But too bad...you have to! As long as MICROBES live...DRS live...and they live happily ever after!

So...these are the preclinical subjects!

By the time you complete your first two years in medical school, you will be devastated and will be thinking when this is gonna end! Im so sorry, you still have the major part, THE CLINICAL years ahead...uncompleted!

But, by the time you complete the 1st two years, your preclinicals, you will be matured enough to think and the programme would have moulded you in way for you to undergo the next important phase! the CLINICALs!

Throughout the phase..you will encounter lots of assessment (depending on universities), and you will be stressed out looking for time to adjust yourself, emphasizing your studies and sacrificing your interest and rest periods!

Tell you one thing, in Medicine...only patients REST, and we WORK for their REST!!

Indulging yourself in medicine with passion will bring you to an edge where others will salute, you will realise it when things happen like what i have said..

My experience, in this five years, i have gained a lot of self respect and now i have my friends and others calling me asking my opinion on their health matters...

Well, it ultimately depends on how you are looking to it! Its true its a tiring course, you have to sacrifice a lot..but end result, you will be known by the post Dr..so and so!

I will be back with Clinical phase...till then take a decision wisely...don't make the medical world loose a dr to be like you, if you think so...

Work hard and it pays you well at the end!!

Adios, stay tuned...-S.Pala