phooey

richo

Saturday, July 28, 2007

i want all ur time i want all ur time i want all your time...
well..u just dont get it anyway.. nvm..

ANYWAYS..i'm pretty excited abt going to monash now. i've decided that i'll apply for richardson hall (aka RICHO). its mascot is a moose. now..how cool is that!! someone else recommended roberts..but its mascot is a bull dog..the one in tom and jerry..haha..cute.but think i prefer the MOOSE! :P
ohhs but i found out the halls dont have prepared meals or ensuite rooms. boohoo. so guess i'll have to learn to cook before i goo.

webo @ 11:16 PM

martini

Thursday, July 26, 2007

i was just commenting out loud abt how popular the martini med textbook is.
and my bro commented:

"imagine if ur name's CHIVAS VODKA MARTINI"

HAHAHA :P
i love my bro!

webo @ 1:55 AM

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

spoke to sheryl today! :P gonna meet up on fri after work :) hi sheryl! *waves* u promised to TAG!!

anyways, i rmbed tt this sunday i'd be going for a musical so i wont be able to spend time with justin :x HAHA. so i texted him and he replied:

"can talk to me on sun though..just that someone will not be free in the evening.. :( haha dunno how come they still call a sad face a smiley."

HAHA so cute! *faints* :P

webo @ 7:21 PM

jonah

i really dunno why i was still 'brooding' over this. haha but being the fickle me, today, i felt like going to liverpool again. haiz. i'm so fickle..anywayy, today during bible study...for some reason i suddenly felt that monash is where i should go. a clear sign..maybe? :D

like for one, i'll def be more spiritually grounded before i leave in feb. i'll be able to finish the entire precepts class for the year. and lyd can do the discipleship thing with me. AND i can help for sundayschool camp!

i'll have more time to spend with justin too and will be there for all his army stuff :P and i can spend time with my parents and bro and i can learn driving! hopefully i can get a car in aussie!! :P

eunice will be doing monash med as well! my future hall/flat/course mate!
(btw THANKS SY and EDDIE for leaving encouraging tags!)
i think i already 'found' a church there.
and i know God wants me to witness to somebodyy tho i'm trying to avoid it...
anyways, i did my QT on jonah tonight. cos i feel like jonah. trying to run away. well, i'm no longer running away :) i'm here God! use me!

ok. i am determined to make the next 5 years the time of my life. i'm gonna make it as enjoyable as my mg days! yes i will! :D

i'm dreading notifying liverpool abt my decision though cos i really dont know what to say. they've been so helpful and have been providing excellent international student support! i've to notify british council too. hope i havent been placed on any database yet.

oh yar. i've gotta register for driving lessons too...

oh but before i end and go to bed, i have to say i just love the architecture of the buildings in liverpool (those i've seen online at least). nonetheless, i'll still be flying there in Sept for a short hol since i already bought tickets. so yeah. WHHEE. looking forward to watching 7 movies on board the plane! :D

webo @ 1:00 AM

depressing times- my very expensive cream puff

Monday, July 23, 2007

mann..i'm going through a really down time of my life! :(
i just realised i lost 48 BUCKS! :(:(:(
cos i paid $50.30 for a creampuff at beard papa yest and i either dropped my change or forgot to collect my change. think i was feeling too moody abt uni stuff. (this was before i spoke to tin)
haiya. hmm. and now i'm getting worried abt having to do clinical practice in rural sites for the next 5 years. i hope monash will have an exciting social life.
sighh..these few days have really been VERY depressing.
I know God has a plan..but i cant help but feel down :(:(
things will get better debo! God is in control!!

webo @ 3:51 PM

monashhh

Sunday, July 22, 2007

i'm sad to say, despite my attempts, i spent the last 2 days sulking like a spoilt brat.
this evening, my parents gave me the option to choose. and i am really sure that this time, if i said i wanted to go to liverpool, they'd be ready to let me go.
it was really tempting and i really was abt to.
den before i made the decision, i spoke to tin. and he reminded me that it's impt to honour/obey my parents. i know they didnt force this choice on me. but yeah i decided to choose it.
i prayed abt making the right decision, and i hope this is really it.
thank God for justin who's always there (other than when he goes to play soccer..ahem!! PIG.) and my church frens (lyd, keith, kevin, darrell) who really tried to cheer me up at church today and reminded me that my reasons for gg to liverpool are really..ermm..

anyway, today at youth worship, elder john shared psalm 86. i'll just share v1 to v7 here:
1 Bend down, O LORD, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O LORD; hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I'm in trouble, and you will answer me.

i found it really encouraging, esp at this very moment of my life where i'm at a crossroad. YES God is always near.
Baa Baa black sheep have you any fear?
No sir, no sir, GOD IS NEAR :)
at youth worship, we sang 'Find Us Faithful' and for some reason, the song really touched my heart.

We’re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow way
And all who come behind us light the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary,
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through Godly lives

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light the way,
May the footprints that we leave,
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh, may all who come behind us
Find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone,
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind
May the clues that they discover
And the memories uncover
Become the light that leads them
To the road we all must find

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light the way,
May the footprints that we leave,
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh, may all who come behind us
Find us faithful

webo @ 10:19 PM

irreplaceable

listening to the above song now! haha. yeah i noe i'm very slow. it's an old song. haha. my new fav genre of songs: quiet storm.

oh wells. i shall stop complaining abt not going to liverpool alr. cos monash costs as much, if not more than liverpool and it's my parents' hard earned cash. yeah. so i shant be ungrateful. (it's hard not to feel sad tho.. :() OH WELL. i WILL get over it. i feel as though i just broke up with my bf-LIVERPOOL. boohoo. u noe wad: liverpool, i'm gonna support ur football club more than i have ever before. I LOVE YOU LIVERPOOL! mwah mwah mwah!

yeahh..anyway i was kinda down the WHOLE day. so i just spent the entire day sleeping. well i'm glad to say i did feel a lot better after my looong sleep. oh, i found out that hanting's at monash clayton too. so yay. good. one more person i noe. (tho i was really looking forward to not knowing anybody at liverpool :x so exciting to make new frens..oh wellss..)
okays, i just got back from class gathering at marina. i am STUFFED. like extremely. :) was nice to see everyone tho didnt really get to talk much since the table was too loong and everyone was busy bbqing/steamboating. :)

things to do:
-tell liverpool uni i'm not going there :(
-tell british council i'll no longer be present at the predeparture briefing
-stop being a spoilt brat

/EDIT/
OH YAR..i bot a styrofoam airplane from marina!! it flies! HAHA :P whee hee. my bro insulted it and when i threw it, it went straight for him! HAHAHA i didnt even aim. so cool i love u my airplane! i shall call u 'my airplane'! HAHA to think tin and i were planning to fly it across the swimming pool and hoping that it would get stuck in the middle of the pool so when dont have to bring it back home..cos it looked super lousy. haha. i was expecting it to be the rubber-powered one. HAHA oh wells! HAHA :P whheehehehehe

webo @ 12:28 AM

gawkkk

Saturday, July 21, 2007

liverpool will also cover the biomedical sciences like anatomy, biochemistry, physiology..etc.
OMG. did i make the wrong choice. :(

webo @ 12:55 PM

monash it is

ok. i've finally decided on monash. i'll have to blog about it so i'll rmb that this is MY decision and nobody forced me into it and i'm not gonna blame anyone for it.
it's been a tough night i must say, trying to compare both and really my heart was set on liverpool.

my first decision was liverpool but after discussing the rising exchange rate of the pound and the cold cold weather, I decided, very grudgingly and reluctantly on Monash. So naturally, after thinking about it for very long, I decided that I wanted Liverpool again. And spoke we negotiated for a very very long time. Still, my heart was set on liverpool. i looked through the syllabus and i was very sure that it was gonna be the best..their pbl modules sound absolutely engaging- a raging thrist, the wheezing adolescent, the tardy docker, the gardener's funeral..etc LIKE OMG dont these modules just make you want to learn more?
i pointed it out to my dad; and pointed out that apart from these, there are clinical skills sessions and communication skills sessions, as well as 6 special study modules where you have to write a 3000word essay on a medical specialty or topic. everything sounds so fun! compared to the monash one which focuses on 4 themes which look very normal and boring.

Then my dad pointed out that Monash will cover anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, physiology, psychology, sociology etc. all the really impt stuff for medicine. I studied the Liverpool one again and all these werent exactly stated..so i thought..hmm..nvm, they'll cover all of these through the pbl section for sure! not to be deterred, i decided to type HARC (human anatomy research centre, the l'pool special centre for u to do ur pbl research) into the search engine so I can learn more abt the PBL process and wow, I found pictures of it! :) it looked really neat and cool but it was then that the true meaning of impending PBL dawned upon me. It was really like a museum/exhibition setting and knowing myself, I'd probably just read these and forget. so i'll prob die since liverpool only has plenaries and not lectures. so yeah, decided on Monash then.
phew. thanks Lord for showing that to me like even though I was almost gonna pay the l'pool deposit already.

i'm kinda sad though..cos the liverpool logo is soo nice and grand. liverpool's also really good uni/medsch! and i so wanted to join the liverpool med sch society and wear the really nice cool lmss sweter!
but oh well, guess that gives me more time to spend with justin and my family! and i'll def not miss justin's commissioning parade and ball. and i'll prob get my driving license (hopefully!!) before I leave. and there wont be weird time zones to deal with since aussie is just 2 hrs ahead. :) and eunice is going to monash too. so yay! it'll prob be great too.

webo @ 2:03 AM

racial harmony day

Friday, July 20, 2007

today was a really fun day!
haha. i love my workplace to bits man! and now that mae and wanlin are here, it's a crazy crazy world! haha. so fun!
the adults here are like really funky too. like 2 of them have 'in da club' as their ringtones..and they go clubbing..and they have like kids! like one's daughter is like in j1. haha. but still..so funky. and my boss is like really nice and blogs :x i peeped at his screen:x HAHA (mae and i are still in the process of trying to track it down. :P)
and mdm ong is just the bestest..she keeps feeding me with food! then there's gekcheng, who's really funny and of cos lili and laimui. :P

anyways, today was racial harmony day, so mg invited BHANGRA (woohoo!!) dancers. lydiahang was in mg for a day too cos she was reliefteaching..so we hung around the concourse to watch. SO FUN! :P lydia loves bhangra too! had lunch with her..she's like really really nice to talk to mann! haha..and i reminded her that our horses have not gotten married yet. HAHA. memories from sec sch. hahaha
yuenkay was also back for today to do reliefteaching!! so we all stood together. and after we went back into the office, we kinda realised that all of us and mae were from the same ltc (which maeyen called ltb??? haha) grp.. and gerry too, whom we brought up cos she dropped by a few days ago. haha. so cool it's like an unplanned and unintentional 'reunion'

all around the canteen, there were also like many small stalls set up too. all of us bot bangles! haha..mine and lyd's are orange and wanlin and mae are crazy. they bot sooo many!! HAHA. anyway, the bad thing is tt the glitter comes out. so all the paper documents on my desk are like glittered. HAHA. so funny. oh and mae bot henna too and it was really funny cos we were like hiding in our little corner near the toilet drawing henna tattos. wanlin was drawing henna tattos on mae's ankle. haha. it was like damn funny cos we were so afraid tt we'd be seen. HAHA. i took pictures but they're in mae's hp. BUT i did manage to take a picture of the henna mae did for me. :)

mae's talented mann..

HAHA. ahh. wad a happy day! oh weellss..today i'm gonna have to make the uni choice decision cos my accommodation at liverpool expires TODAY unless i place the deposit. God, pls guide me and thanks for sending to me so many pple who have shared their views with me. help me to make the right decision!!

webo @ 6:21 PM

t1r2a3n4s5i6n7e8x sucks

Thursday, July 19, 2007

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
****************
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, whatever I WRITE is fictitious, and any resemblance to real life, including but not limited to persons (living or dead), companies, and organisations, is purely coincidental. Whatever is blogged here is solely of MY personal opinion and does not represent any institution, organisation (both political and non-political), corporation, business or any other independent individuals.

(SPECIAL THANKS TO MY LEGAL ADVISOR, HAZZE!)

i'm blogging from work now..about to knockoff. whooff..today's been quite a day.
you noe what? i hate travel agents! esp an E from t*r*a*n*s*i*n*e*x. seriously like wth..MOVE BITCH GET OUT THE WAY.

like before we awarded her the PO she was like nice and such a suckup..NAMEDROPPING abt so and so and who she has done trips for and how much experience she has in arranging trips. like if you think u're damn big deal, well pls think again.
like who does she effing think she is..addressing mails (like official business ones) with 'hello dears'. nobody wants to be your 'dear' you sorry sad ass shame of a woman.
now that she has our PO, she's like "i know u're new here. go straight to the point" when i effing didnt even say anything other than "regarding the rooms". and for ur info u asshole, i may be new to this post but i'm def not new to this organisation, u biatch. (i didnt say that of course..) anyway, she continued.."i dont want to speak to you (smtg to tt effect la) i'll speak directly to -my bosses' name-". and den like hangs up the phone. LIKE SERIOUSLY. i hate to say this..but GO TO HELL U BITCH. BURN. my boss doesnt like to talk to you either.

anyone reading this, please spread the word that t~r!a@n#s$i%n^e&x sucks. b l a c k l i s t them or u'll be sorry.
1. they are u n p r o f e s s i o n a l (like whoever puts sms pictures (made up of symbols) as ur signature for emails?? and who adds their msn address on their signature for emails too??)
2. they are f a k e
3. they s u c k
like seriously. if u want to be nasty, dont let it get in the way of business. be professional. i didnt even quarrel with her. i was just like "ohhkayy"..whooff..chill mann. and just continued to say things..in my own way. who cares abt her 'straight to the point crap'. like wadever. i do things my way. and go as many rounds as i want.

next time she gives me this crap (sadly. yes there will be a next time cos we've awarded her company the PO...WAD AN EFFING MISTAKE) i'll just ask her to speak to my resident lawyer, maeyen.
haha. yes. maeyen's the new resident lawyer. HAHA she will also be protecting wanlin from the pri sch who hound her for arranging the relief timetable schedules and giving them more work to do.. HAHA

webo @ 5:04 PM

Thursday, July 12, 2007

omg. i just got off the phone with AMELIA CHONGGGGGG! :) whee. so cool. we like spoke for one and a half hours. ahh. THANK GOD for frens like that! like even though we havent seen each other in years, just random phone calls can come by and we can talk very loong! :P

AHH. :)
anyway, my uncle called all the way from the US just to wish my bro a happy birthday! like wow. how cool is that!! he's so nice. and he gave me really good advice abt uni decisions too. and i must say he's REALLY WISE!

:) i love my life :D

OH YAR! i watched DIE HARD 4.0 with tin last night! it was REALLY good. i'm so into blockbusters now mann..like ever since xmen i think. HAHA. whee. i love all the bang bang bang and BOOM and bish bish..hahaa

webo @ 11:38 PM

trent!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

look wad my baby got for me from brunei!!
his name is TRENT HAHA :)

trent comes with yummy chocs!
hehe :P i love surprises. whee :P

anyways, if u're getting bored abt my jumping thoughts on uni decisions..bear (trent) with me. HAHA i'm still in the process of 'healing'. boohoo. anyhow...i''ve finally found a reason tt will make me feel better abt not deciding to go to liverpool..and that is..it's not very heard of in singapore and even though it's ranked abt the same as monash, pple will think i'm a less qualified doctor unless they'll be bothered to search for rankings..which is unlikely.
ok..heal debo..heal!

i finally worked out today! went running with maeyen. and did some crunches and leg lifters. GG mann. maeyen is so fit la. but me..hahaha.. working on it..working on it.. HAHA
oh 'best part'. i realise i over-react a lot. the arch of my right foot started aching and i thought my arch was collapsing! like u noe..london bridge is falling down..hurrhurr anyway, when i got home and checked..i realised it was just a blister. gahahaha..hurr..

webo @ 7:11 PM

my struggles

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

sigh. i really hate the way i am. the way i threatened to blame them if i'm gonna have to suffer for 5 yrs in some place that isnt my ideal choice when the truth is, deep down, i'm just afraid to make a firm decision and give them a clear indication of where i would like to go. my mum says i just want to find somebody to blame and thinking abt it, i guess it's true and i'm horribly disgusted. i've done it before and i'm doing it again. i'm such a bloody wimp.

and even now, that i've kinda decided where i wanna go, it's too late to make a 'hurtless' change cos too many heated words have been exchanged. i hate myself for being disrespectful. i noe the sum of money (~half a million) is a huge one and the very intention of letting me pursue my dreams is already more than i can ask for. i feel especially ashamed cos I have not honoured God as I have not treated my parents with respect. my behaviour last night was totally unacceptable. GAHS. i really hate myself. i'm such a idiot. sigh.

on one hand, i do want to make my own decisions but den again i seriously doubt my judgement in this area. i mean my parents have a combined age of over 100yrs- surely they know more than i do! furthermore, they are God- given and God speaks through them in many ways! it's tough trying to live a Christ- like life and it just keeps getting harder every minute. I pray that God will change my heart and make me accept wherever i go without continuing to complain abt having to abide by my parents' wishes when really they have been the ones who have supported and stayed by my side all these 19 years. In fact their decision makes so much more sense as compared to my frivolous reasons for wanting to go to uk. I pray for repentence O LORD!

hmm. debo it's really time to make a change!
on another note, my bro's birthday is this thur. he's really been a big part of my life and has been the bestest-est-est big brother in the whole wide world- and i'm not just saying it; i mean it. i love you kor! i shall make smores for you on thur! :P

justin's coming back from brunei tonight! flight leaves brunei at 11pm. hopefully our early breakfast plans can proceed! :P

my bro just showed me this on youtube! soo cute!

another video worth watching- connie! she's only 6!

and this dancer!

webo @ 10:09 PM

the ball

Monday, July 9, 2007

the ball is back in my hands again. and i have 9 hrs to decide and pay my accommodation deposit! ahhh. my dad's verdict was to go wherever I decide.
hmm. GOD HELP ME!

/EDIT/
indeed. 'go wherever i decide'. as if. wadever. gahs. pissed off

webo @ 11:06 PM

precious lord, take my hand

Sunday, July 8, 2007

i am seriously feeling tired abt university decisions. it's exhausting trying to prepare urself for uni when u really dont know which continent u will be ending up in. i'll abide by whatever my parents decide nevertheless and i appreciate all the thought and effort they're going through to make the decision. i still feel tired and weary though.
anyhow, i'm still thankful for the opportunity God has given me to do medicine. indeed, God is good. He has given me not 1, not 2 but 5 places to choose from. and now, after narrowing down to 2, a decision has to be made. i'm anxious, worried and afraid abt whether that'll be the correct choice. Whatever it turns out to be, I know that God is the sovereign and almighty heavenly father and His will will be done.

Precious Lord, take my hand.
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, and worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, lead me near,
When my life is almost gone.
Hear my cry, hear my call.
Hold my hand, lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand.
Guide my feet, hold my hand,
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

THANK GOD for this encouraging hymn written by Thomas Andrew Dorsey.
GOD LOVES YOU AND ME A LOT!!

webo @ 11:10 PM

hmmm

look what i found on the net!
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Medicine_Surgery__Review_5584749

A Fresher's Guide to Liverpool Medical School

General Standard of Tuition: Very high
Quality of Lectures: Good
Structure of Course: Excellent
Workload: Heavy

Advantages: You get to pretend to be a doctor, eventually be a doctor, get paid lots and party !
Disadvantages: You first get into debt, make mistakes, work hard, have to learn to cope . . .

Recommend to potential buyers: yes

I know I've called this review "A Fresher's Guide"... that's just because it's Fresher's week in a few days, and now that I'm getting stuck into my Second Year I thought it would be an appropriate time to explain what it's like joining the medical school at Liverpool University.I'm writing this review for:
~ People already part of the medical school; You already know what I'm going on about
~ Freshers just joining the medical school; Don't be scared, the fun and games is just starting!
~ People thinking of applying; This is the best med school ever! So come to Liverpool!
~ People who are just interested in what goes on; I hope I can hold your attention for as long as possible

WHERE TO LIVE:
**********************
Ok, let's start at the beginning. I'm going to give what I think is some good advice. One of the reasons why I enjoyed my first year at Liverpool so much was because I was in a HALL OF RESIDENCE. At Liverpool University there are two main Halls, and some private ones in town as well. They have a really good community atmosphere and you meet loads of people including non-medics. I'm living with two of my friends from Halls last year.

The two main sites are a 20-25 minute bus ride out of town so a bus pass is really useful. Arriva do one for about £70-80 per term which may seem a lot but is good value for money in the long run. The two sites are GREENBANK and CARNATIC, each with their own atmospheres, quirks, facilities and perks. There is a sort of rivalry between them, but I am inclined to say Greenbank is better even though its more expensive, just because I was there and had the time of my life!

GREENBANK:The Greenbank site is made up of two Halls, Roscoe and Gladstone (R&G... smaller of the two and where I lived!) and Derby and Rathbone (D&R... larger and slightly different atmosphere). We had a reputation for better canteen food than Carnatic, mainly because each Hall has its own dining room, whereas Carnatic's multiple Halls share the same huge canteen. Each has washers and driers, its own bar, TV rooms etc. and most rooms have a sink as well. There are a few rooms that are self-catered, but I recommend catered accomodation because that way you can socialise at meal times and get the most from your time here.

CARNATIC:We were a bit cut off from the Carnatic Site which is a community unto itself, made up of 6 Halls all sharing dining facilities and one big bar. The halls are Dale Hall, McNair Hall, Salisbury Hall, Rankin Hall, Morton House and Lady Mountford House. I don't know much about them, but I know that I prefered the close-knit feel of Greenbank (as well as the greenery, park with ducks and ponds around which you could have BBQs in summer!). The choice, however, is yours. I won't try to bias you any further!

*More about all that in a more detailed review of the Uni I think... back to the medical school... !

PBL WHAT?
******************
At Liverpool, the medical course is based on PBL... a relatively modern learning approach that lets future doctors teach each other to teach themselves. Problem Based Learning works on the principle of SMALL GROUPS of 8 students discussing a fortnightly CASE SENARIO. These range in first year from a story of Mrs so-and-so who is complaining of diarrhoea, to Mr whosit-what who finds his foot feels cold because of bad circulation. Each 2 week module covers a different BODY SYSTEM and the focus is on what is NORMAL, although learning a bit about key diseases helps to keep the work interesting.

The process behind PBL is to take the scenario and highlight key words and phrases that the group then goes off and researches, meeting together three times a fortnight to discuss what they have found out. This way you learn WHERE to find resources, HOW to speak to others about WHAT you've found out, and WHY certain things are important. It's not just about anatomy and physiology, although they play a key part. You also learn about patient psychology, maths and statistics behind diseases, how society behaves... a HOLISTIC approach.

This works by dividing the LEARNING OBJECTIVES (questions to find out about) into 4 Catagories...
> Structure and Function (S&F):This is essentially all the anatomy and physiology you need to find out about. The first year concentrates on what is normal. Learning about the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, brain, bones etc. is enhanced by using HARC (Human Anatomy Resource Centre) where you can see the organs in situ by looking at prosections (bodies that have been pre-dissected and preserved in formaldehyde) and state of the art plastic models. We don't do any dissection like the Classic-style courses at Cambridge and elsewhere.

> Individuals, Groups and Society (IGS):Because in the future you have contact with patients, you need to understand how a patient thinks and feels. You learn about the psychology of patients who fail to take their medication, need to change their lifestyle by stopping smoking etc, people who learn to cope with the pressures of looking after disabled family members etc. Looking at 'Groups' includes labelling, stigma and stereotyping. Meanwhile 'Society' looks at a bit of sociology and social class etc.

> Population Perspective (PP):There are lots of statistics, graphs, mathematical models etc. that come into looking at diseases in populations. This is called 'epidemiology' and the first year introduces you to the basics. I didn't do maths A-level, but still found that I was able to get my head round this stuff, even if I didn't enjoy it very much. It's useful to be able to apply the statistics because they pop up in loads of journals, so this part of the course really helps you understand what 'relative risk', 'incidence', 'prevalence' and 'Randomised Controlled Trials' are all about.

> Professional and Personal Development (PPD):This covers what it's like to be a health professional. You look at the career structures of people in the NHS, learn about guidelines of the General Medical Council (GMC), look at some ethics and even a brief look at the History of medicine. Attitudes to complementary therapy also pop up in first year.

EARLY PATIENT CONTACT:
************************************
In the first year at Liverpool Medical School you will attend weekly sessions learning CLINICAL SKILLS. By the end of first year you will have learnt how to do the basic clinical examinations that will be built on over the next 4 years of medical school. It's a reassuring feeling to be able to take blood pressures, practise injecting plastic arms, taking blood from model veins, testing knee reflexes with a hammer etc. all that stuff that makes you feel like a proper doctor. This is what sets Liverpool and other PBL courses apart from more traditional courses which have 2 or 3 years of solid science before the patient contact begins.

OK, so you're ONLY testing out these new skills on people PRETENDING to be patients, but you will feel far better equipped when you get to second year and you spend several days a week in hospitals with the real patients. Skills vary from system examinations like cardiovascular, respiratory and joints, to doing Basic Life Support (CPR) and learning how to wash your hands properly.

These skills are tested at the end of the year in the Clinical Skills OSCE, an exam made up of 30 stations of 5 minutes where you are told to take a blood pressure, talk through the examination on a pregnant model, examine plastic breasts etc. It can be a bit terrifying at first with the time pressure and horror stories about how people have messed up embarrassingly in the past, but you are given plenty of practise. The clinical skills teaching staff are really friendly.

You also get an opportunity to go out into the COMMUNITY during the last term to watch GPs in action and practise history taking. It's debatable how effective/enjoyable/necessary this experience is. I give it a big thumbs down from my experience, but that's just me.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
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It may not be the most exciting thing in the world. Everyone can communicate! Well, that's the common thought. But how many doctors intimidate their patients, are arrogant and not understanding, never look you in the eye when speaking, fail to be sympathetic... all these negative things are why almost 50% of patients don't follow their doctor's advice or take their medication.

Fortnightly COMMUNICATION SKILLS classes, once again in SMALL GROUPS, teach you the importance of body language, putting information into a logical order in language than non-medical people can understand. You get to try out the skills of taking a history (asking questions about a patients illness) on actors pretending to be patients. Some of them are extras from Hollyoaks or Emmerdale, so I'm lead to believe!

This is also tested at the end of the year by getting information from, or giving information to SIMULATED PATIENTS played by actors. It's a bit like a roleplay and, once again, you are given plenty of practise.

WHAT THE HECK IS A PLENARY?
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Liverpool Medical School doesn't like having a lecture called a lecture. So does that mean that at Liverpool you're not actually taught anything at all? Yep, you are encouraged to go off and teach yourself. Controversial, but I think this approach does work. You could be in a traditional medical course attending lectures all day on the science and biochemistry, scribbling the notes, falling asleep etc. But Liverpool doesn't do LECTURES. Instead we have the optional PLENARY, a sort of gathering of medical students who can be bothered to get into the University for 9 am every morning.

I didn't make it in for EVERY plenary. They are not compulsory. They are designed a bit like a lecture, but to stimulate your interest in a certain topic. OK, they seemed a bit like a lecture to me, but they only touch the surface of a subject, giving you an overview of EMBRYOLOGY, or the basic principles of ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE. You then go off after an hour, fuelled in your quest to find out more about it all.

To be honest, you learn to distinguish which Plenary will be useful, which lecturers set the exam questions so you should turn up to their Plenaries, which Plenary will help with a particular LEARNING OBJECTIVE. You can go to every one, but sometimes you really DO need a lie in the-morning-after-the-night-before!

SPECIAL STUDY MODULE (SSM):
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Throughout the 5 years of the medical course, you get the opportunity to do 6 or so SSMs. These are usually a 4 week project where you get to research into a topic of your choice from a long list. If you don't get your any of your choices the first time round, then you'll definitely get one the next time. This project is usually a 3000 word written piece that is handed into the convenor (person in charge of the SSM) at the end of the 4 weeks.

You need to pass the SSM to pass the year. That may seem a bit daunting, but on the plus side this is the best way to learn what Specialities interest you. It helps you know what kind of doctor you want to be, or whether you'd rather look at medical journalism, research, or even History of Medicine in more depth. It's a really useful part of the course. Some people simply doss/don't work hard/go on holiday... I, myself, visited an art gallery one day. But the final grade of your SSMs (pass, merit or distinction) does effect the final grade of your medical degree at the end of the 5 years.

SOCIAL LIFE:
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It is no secret that Medics have one hell of a SOCIAL LIFE if they choose to join in with what's going on. You can have a look at my other reviews if you would like to get an idea. The LMSS is the Liverpool Medical Students Society and organises practically all of the main Medic social events. These include:
~ Initiation and welcoming party for the First Years
~ First Years' Bus Tour
~ The Annual Ball
~ The Summer Ball
~ The 120-something-th Annual Smoker
~ Artefacts (drama and music groups)
~ Regular meetings every Thursday
~ The Men's Dinner/Ladies' Pubcrawl
~ The Ladies' Dinner/Men's Pubcrawl
~ The Annual Play

*and loads of other parties and activities like greyhound racing and charity events!

The Traditional Liverpool Medics' Night Out would probably end up on a Thursday at the 'Raz' (read my review to find out why!) the affectionate nickname for The Blue Angel nightclub on Seel Street. It is a common saying that 'All Roads Lead to the Raz' just because it's true. Everyone eventually finds their way there at some point!

TUTOR-TUTEE:
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There is a scheme at Liverpool whereby every First Year gets paired up with a Second Year either individually or in a group. The Second Years are there to give advice, support, help where needed etc. They are also there, if you would like, to get First Years fed, drunk and merry before the TUTOR-TUTEE PARTY which is a great way to meet new people. There are around 300 people per year, so think of all the new friends to make!

The tutoring scheme would be really good if all Tutees kept in touch with their Tutors. I personally bump into my Tutors from time to time on a night out, and they buy me drinks or ask me how I'm getting on, which books to buy etc. There is no set book-list... you just sort of follow other people's advice as to which are the best ones. If you want to know my recommendations, then send me a message in my GB. I won't advertise the medical books here!

WHAT THERE IS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:
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The next four years of the course look at PATHOLOGY (what goes wrong with the body) and builds on the work of the First Year. You are in hospitals and GP practices, observing and taking histories. In the Third Year there is a chance to go on an ELECTIVE... a 5 week period in the summer holidays where you practise medicine either in the UK or practically anywhere in the world. The next 5 weeks is then up to you to spend as you wish, but sounds to me like quite a good holiday/chance to travel. Fourth Years sit their finals at the end of the year, leaving Fifth Year to do rotations in hospitals, following the House officer you will eventually replace when you qualify. Exciting stuff.

THE END:
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So this is the end of my long, but hopefully helpful introduction to what Medicine is like at Liverpool University. I think it's a good course, one of the best in the country. The teaching is GOOD, the social life is GREAT, and I've only got another 4 years of all this to go! To any new First Years, I'll probably see you in the Raz! Work hard, and play harder...

liverpool med sch really does sound very very exciting! I WANT TO GO!!
sighh. but i really dun noe where i'm going now. cos think my dad really really prefers monash and he said tt since he's paying the $ so he'll decide. hmm. haiz and my fren helped me ask her dad (some big shot administrator at nuh) if he'd prefer grads monash or liverpool and he said monash.
i suppose monash will be exciting as well but i cant find any such reviews to hype me abt it! hmm. monash interviewers/lecturers were nice though :) but monash starts in feb and i'm really tired of waiting to start to study. haiiii...
anyway, i do believe God does speak through parents so we'll see..

on another note, went for yf today. i really like the fellowshipping. :P
monday's precepts bible study is where i get my spiritual food!
wednesday's prayer meeting is where i get encouragement from others testimonies and also thank God for all he has done.
saturday's yf is for fellowshipping with other believers! :P
next sat we're going kite flying at west coast park! SO EXCITING!
anyone else wants to go? do let me know!

webo @ 12:45 AM

rankin hall + monash

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

i got my monash offer today! really thank God for that cos it is really through His grace! All praise and thanks to Him! yeah. esp cos since i only mentioned my clinical attachment and left out quite a lot abt my work experiences like research and teaching (didnt wanna do an overkill..which kinda made me regret after the interview).. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW! :P

i got my liverpool accommodation offer amended to rankin already as well. :)
so now it's just down to choosing between liverpool and monash.
i'm kinda all set and ready to go for liverpool. so many things have been settled already. only visa left. but my daddy's in favour of monash..cos it's so much nearer to home. i like monash too cos the monash interviewers were really friendly and nice. but then again, i like liverpool as well cos the interviewers again were super nice too. and liverpool is really pretty!! (went on a virtual tour last night)
i really dont know where to go. hmmmmm. GOD PLS GIVE ME WISDOM!

webo @ 7:16 PM

new accommodation

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

i've changed my accommodation choice to rankin (instead of lady mountford) cos it has a washbasin. the table in room..or at least the one in the picture..is soo..ermm..sparse! haha. hopefully it's just the picture. HAHA.

wad a random entry. looks like i'm really going to liverpool. MIXED FEELINGS! very excited but at the same time..it hasnt quite sunken in yet..the fact tt i'll be living abroad for the next 5-6 yrs. and i'll miss my family and frens. hmm..

anyway, life's been good for me so far. debo's happy. :P

webo @ 9:48 PM

TRANSFORMERS!

Sunday, July 1, 2007

omg. transformers is soo cool! ahh i love bumblebee!! i love ACTION MOVIES!! haha..megan fox was hot and and there was also the 'even stevens' guy who was absolutely entertaining!! the show's awesome i tell ya. there was also a minor character in the show named trent.
(wahh. i'm gonna name my kids travis, trent and tyra. so cool names!! :P HAHA)
hurr..anyway, the funny thing was that i was telling tin how cool the name trent is..and at the end of the movie when the credits were rolling, we found out tt trent's real name was travis. another cool name i was telling him abt.
HAHA. sooo funny! :P
ok..back to the movie...we're soo gonna get the transformers action figures soon. will prob make a trip down to toys r'us tmr. hurrhurr :P

webo @ 12:44 AM