April & May 2010 had been the most horrendous months in my life. Working and preparing for my final exam at the same time had proved to be both physically & mentally demanding, especially when I was placed in a centre notoriously known for its heavy work load.
Just before the exam, I had already lost 3 kilos (over the period of 2 months). I was eating quite a bit during my on-off study break, so I was wondering where all the food went. My weight was down to below 40 kilos on 2 previous postings at this centre. So this time around I was trying my best not to lose too much. For someone who weighs around 43kg on average, to lose even a few kilos, I would look cachexic.
The first component of the exam was the COQ (case oriented questions). That was quite alright, although there were minor hiccups (as one of my consultants had put it) here & there. Question number 3 was a radiotherapy planning question on cancer of the maxillary antrum. Most of the candidates were seen touching & feeling their cheeks, with one candidate even measuring her cheek with a ruler. It would have been a nightmare for the invigilator if the question was related to some other body parts.
MCQ (multiple choice questions) was the tough one, partly if not wholly, because of the negative marking. One candidate took 2 Paracetamol before going in for the paper. I came out of the exam hall with a stiff neck & also had to pop in 2 Paracetamol. During the night, most candidates had difficulty sleeping. One watched Korean soap opera till wee hours in the morning & another drove out to the Mamak shop for a drink. We are now able to laugh at ourselves, but the stress that we felt at that time was just overwhelming.
The final 2 components (ie. Clinical & Viva) were held 2 weeks after the written. By 21st May, everything was all over. It felt like a huge mountain was being lifted from my shoulders. I went back to work the next day (Saturday) & did 3 calls (2 active calls & 1 passive) over a duration of 4 days. That was a pretty un-human thing to do, but thankfully I managed to survive. I have now lost another 2 kilos, so yes, I do look cachexic.
It is now time to repair the sublethal damage & reoxygenate…
Just before the exam, I had already lost 3 kilos (over the period of 2 months). I was eating quite a bit during my on-off study break, so I was wondering where all the food went. My weight was down to below 40 kilos on 2 previous postings at this centre. So this time around I was trying my best not to lose too much. For someone who weighs around 43kg on average, to lose even a few kilos, I would look cachexic.
The first component of the exam was the COQ (case oriented questions). That was quite alright, although there were minor hiccups (as one of my consultants had put it) here & there. Question number 3 was a radiotherapy planning question on cancer of the maxillary antrum. Most of the candidates were seen touching & feeling their cheeks, with one candidate even measuring her cheek with a ruler. It would have been a nightmare for the invigilator if the question was related to some other body parts.
MCQ (multiple choice questions) was the tough one, partly if not wholly, because of the negative marking. One candidate took 2 Paracetamol before going in for the paper. I came out of the exam hall with a stiff neck & also had to pop in 2 Paracetamol. During the night, most candidates had difficulty sleeping. One watched Korean soap opera till wee hours in the morning & another drove out to the Mamak shop for a drink. We are now able to laugh at ourselves, but the stress that we felt at that time was just overwhelming.
The final 2 components (ie. Clinical & Viva) were held 2 weeks after the written. By 21st May, everything was all over. It felt like a huge mountain was being lifted from my shoulders. I went back to work the next day (Saturday) & did 3 calls (2 active calls & 1 passive) over a duration of 4 days. That was a pretty un-human thing to do, but thankfully I managed to survive. I have now lost another 2 kilos, so yes, I do look cachexic.
It is now time to repair the sublethal damage & reoxygenate…
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