THoughtSSs

as the radio plays beethoven's Coriolan Overture, I am relaxing a bit after my clinical sessions for the day.

So what's in my thoughts for the moment?

I am quite looking forward to receiving my first red bomb for Carrie and her fiance Patrick. Their wedding will be in 1.10.10 in HK. I really am eager to attend that wedding and pay HK a visit. Havent been there for sooo long and doing some shopping there would be great (cameras, pc stuffs). Might be able to go home too for a few days if I really make it 2 HK assuming I work in UK. If I work in KK i suppose I can go 2 HK as well haha. But I would think I will be working over here. that is my aim anyway.

Yes, now let's talk about work a bit. The plan is to stay here. how long I don't know. few years I suppose. but the first year is a definite. I want to gain more experience and be better so doing a VT (vocational training) as a Foundation Dentist 1 (FD1) would be good. If I do get a job here then the plan for the second year would be to do a SHO (senior house officer) in one of the General Hospitals ( Liverpool would be preferable, but i don't mind going to Manchester, Leeds or Sheffield).

I do hope to do the SHO in liverpool as I know the staffs there and would very much learn from them again. After that? well, y not plan a bit further I ask myself. Yes maybe a year more in UK doing a Maxillo Facial SHO in Aintree hospital. It is a good hospital (trauma, orthodontics surgery, oncology) but it is quite daunting doing maxfax there. but I however m confident i will benefit from it and will just go for it. probably do that for 6 months then another 6 months at the famous European children's hospital - Alder Hey to see some very different and weird cases.

** Maxillo Facial is a highly specialized department. U need to do medicine AND dentistry. followed by getting into the various Surgical Specialist register, then into Specialist Registar then into a Consultant (highest level u can reach in ALL fields of medicine and dentistry), so u will be around 40++ years old when u really r considered to be a MaxFax surgeon. MaxFax people really is the top top people as they know both medicine, dentistry and surgery, and obviously is regarded as cosmetic surgeons as well for obvious reasons as they work around the head and neck. **

The original plan was to stay in UK for 2 years. but there seems to be a change. but all is not set in stone. The future is unpredictable. But I would think I would stay for a while gaining more experience in patient management especially the emergencies, trauma and oncology side of things around the head and neck.

We shall see.

The politics in malaysia of course plays a factor. I have to admit I dont think I have great chance of doing a specialist course (government sponsored) if I do go back. but i will apply for it if I do go back. It is annoying as opportunities tend to be VERY limited. But working in private is quite good financially. the matter with that is i just find working in a private practice a bit lonely, a bit more demanding. I would really like to specialize. Also, working at home with my friends around in KK, i would think it wud be good (then again they will start to have their own family and socialize less!)

Sometimes I do come to think about it, will Sabah and Sarawak govern themselves better if we were not in Malaysia? Where there is no quota, no limitations. Like Brunei, like Singapore. Or worst off? where there is more fighting, more corruption? What really matters? what is really the problem?

ah... if only I have a crystal ball to see into the future...