The Little Bits That I Can Do

" You are really a good Doctor" - Patient Ach. (SMS)

Deep down in me, I know how incompetent I am as a junior doctor. He did not know that I always get scolded for not being able to carry out orders, for not doing the right test for patients and many more scoldings that had happened earlier on.

I do not know what was the diagnosis, what was the problem, neither do I know how to treat him.

All I did was spending an extra 1.5 hours after office hour on my post call day listening to him, understanding his needs and giving him the support he might need, with a smile. In fact, we did not mention anything about the disease that he was having.

Then I realized, all he wanted was just someone to talk to, and someone who are willing to sit down and listen to him. But with the tedious working environment that we have, how many of us can afford to do so?

As a junior doctor, I cannot make much decisions on how to treat the patients. And with all the never ending job lists (and even PPK's joblists), reviews, rounds and assessment, I sometimes find it hard to even put a smile on my face. What more sitting down and talk to patients.

I have to always remind myself, by God's strength, to grab the opportunities to touch lives, to meet our patients needs and constantly improving ourselves in terms of my medical knowledge whenever time and strength allow.

Because that's the little bits that I can do for my patients, with a smile. =)

Life is short, so make it sweet.