My role models in the medical arena… (part 1)

Today we will talk about ROLE MODELS.

Beginnings

I first met mine when he came to my secondary school, Victoria School, to give a talk about pursuing a career in the medical arena during a “Future Careers” seminar. You see, our school was trying to help us choose what kind of courses we would be taking in Junior College, that would be year 11 and 12 for other countries. (Find out more about the Singapore education system.)

At the end of his talk, he mentioned if we wanted a hospital attachment at the end of high school, we could write in to him and request one. That i did, and it indeed helped me gain valuable insight into the medical career.

Wise advice from a respected surgeon

I sought his advice again when i had to choose between my 2 successful applications to study medicine: Bute Medical School, University of St Andrews or Bristol Uni’s medical school. I decided on St Andrews, a 6-year traditional course, for i thought that i could get a better grounding in the basic medical sciences first before embarking on the clinical years at Manchester. Moreover, the uniqueness of the course enabled students to experience the small town of St Andrews in Scotland and the metropolitan city of Manchester was really appealing to me. Hence i chose it, since these were the only 2 offers i had. However, i was also advised that if i got a Monash Uni 5 year course, i should choose it due to the lower cost of tuition fees and living expenses, and its proximity to my homeland Singapore (since it was deemed, with good reason, that the education one receives at either continent will be similar and it was still up to the student to make the most out of his or her own learning experience). God was gracious and Monash Uni offered me a place, so now here i am at Melbourne, studying medicine.

Indeed it was rare to have a senior consultant, former chief of surgery, former chairman of the medical board at a hospital, etc etc, to give you advice over coffee about some low-level stuff like which medical school to choose. At that session, he was patient and comprehensive, making sure i really wanted to do medicine before diving right into further decisions about choosing medical schools. It is a privilege and relationship i treasure till today.

More about Prof Low

I saw him featured in the local newspaper, Today. It reminded me of him once again and i decided to post an article up, as it got me thinking about role models in general, and the art of medicine.

This is his profile.

Name : Clin Prof Low Cheng Hock
Designation : Senior Consultant
Credentials : MBBS, M.Med (Surgery), FRACS, FRCS (Edin), FACG, FAMS, PPA(E), PPA(E)
Subspeciality :Upper GI

Source: TTSH Dept of General Surgery

Apart from being a senior consultant at TTSH (he was the ex-surgeon-general / Chief of Surgery there), he is a volunteer consultant to the SAF.

Why he is my role model

Too bad he is retiring soon. My role model, definitely. And its not these long lines of qualifications behind his name, or that he is so distinguished that he is a Justice of Peace in the Republic of Singapore, or that he has reached the top roles in the medical community in Singapore, for example President of the Singapore Medical Council, etc.. It is the way he treats people that matters most.

Before i left for Melbourne to begin my medical studies in Feb 2006, i met up him over lunch, and gave him a book by Harvey White, entitled “Retiring from medicine”, as a thank-you gift for all the advice and help he has rendered ever since i met him. He was rather appreciative and imagine my relief (that i have not bought the wrong and inappropriate gift) during lunch when i probed, “So Prof Low, are you retiring from medicine soon?” “In fact i am! Semi-retiring.” came the immediate frank and cheery reply.

I recall the day he sent a message to my mobile, from Singapore to Melbourne, encouraging and sending his regards, asking me about life in medical school. We also correspond through email and meet up from time to time in Singapore. I remember the time i was back for my first 1-month holiday in Singapore and i reflected on my 1st semester in Monash Medicine, telling him how my peers seemed to be so set on the specialty they will embark on in the future, or how they want to reach “consultant level” in the shortest number of years possible, and Prof Low told me (not in exact words),

“When you eventually become a specialist, nobody is going to ask you how many years you took to specialise… What matters most is the patient. Moreover, in those years that you are specialising and doing further training in your medical career, it is the time you start working, earning cash, living your life, perhaps starting a family. Do keep these things in perspective.”

If i, a lowly medical student, am treated like this by him, what more his family members, or close friends, or colleagues? Every doctor i have met during the hospital attachment uses adjectives like “nice”, “warm”, “esteemed”, “well-respected”, to describe him. The nurses and even the receptionists know him and speak of him cheerfully.

The importance of finding and having role models

Its amazing how big a part a certain role model can play in one’s life. And in my case, in my future career as a doctor. Role models are definitely important and it is crucial to find one.

One whom can guide you and prod you along the long and arduous path, one who can encourage you along the way should you get disillusioned, one to turn to when making important life-changing or major decisions, one whom you can look up to, saying “hey when i grow up i want to be like him/her!” or “hey, this is the kind of (profession) i have always aspired or dreamed about becoming!”, or one that perhaps would like you to become what they never became…

“Better than me”

In this case, Prof Low mentions that he wants his students to be BETTER than him. That kind of spirit is excellent. You will know that he definitely wants to and will teach you all he can, to impart what others before him has passed down to him. Will all teachers or seniors be like that?

The art of medicine

Moving on to another point, the article mentions that Prof Low is a healer, not just a doctor.

“I spend a lot of time with patients, listening to them. A good communication process can help you make a diagnosis more than half the time…. Practising medicine is not as straight-forward as one thinks. Sometimes our perception of our rules, our beliefs, our morals, have come into play. Ultimately, patients come first – whatever you do must be for the good of the patient, not your own benefit.”

Will we aspire to be a doctor like that? Or will we perhaps be tempted or be forced by circumstances to “go in, fix it and get out”, as thehelix mentions in this post.

A blogger shares this about a certain Dr. Frank.

The point is a doctor named Frank Coleman, a diminutive man who is a giant of a compassionate human being. Frank knows his medicine. Oh, he is a superb physican. More important, he also knows each of the people he treats, and he treats them as sacred individuals. Frank is not one of those production line “a patient every fifteen minute” physicians. He is a healer, not just a doctor. He treats the whole person, not the malady. He is a listener. He holds your hand, touches your soul. He has a soothing and reassuring aura about him. He puts you at ease. He has a laying on of presence. It’s hard to be anxious and scared when he is with you. He makes you feel comfortable in the usually awkward, nervous, and often intimidating and frightening environment of an examining or hospital room. It is easy to see him as a human being, not just as a doctor costumed in a white coat because he sees you as a human being. He converses with you, notices you. He doesn’t merely examine your body; he treats your spirit as well. You are to him a fellow human being rather than just a patient. He makes the time to take time with you. There were no barriers between him and the other person in the room. There never is a harsh, cold, clinical distance when he was in the room. You know he wants to be there and is not in a rush to be somewhere else. You know he cares, deeply cares. He wants to help. His very presence tells you, “It will be okay.” You know you are safe in his hands. He was our family physician until he closed his private practice; he saved my Susan’s life a few decades ago.

Darn, i sure want to be a doctor like that. Wouldn’t you as a medical student want to aspire to be a doctor as described? More importantly, wouldn’t you as a patient want your doctor to be like that?

The Victorian Spirit lives on…

It is even more amazing if your role model was educated in the same instituition as you, or somehow has something similar as you. Perhaps he/she went to the same medical school as you. Perhaps he/she went through the same residency programme as you.

As for me, i’m proud to associate with Prof Low. He went to the same high school as me. And that would be Victoria School, Singapore. (forgive me for this little last bit of “patriotism” to my alma mater, it would be sad if you personally didn’t have a little in you)

For others came before and went,
And carried to the world,
Victoria’s fame and our intent
To keep her flag unfurled.

- Last stanza of the Victoria School Anthem

Oh and hey, look out for part 2 of “my role models in the medical arena…”, where i will be talking about Dr SH Tow, former Chair of Obgyn at KK Hospital, Singapore, current senior pastor of Calvary Bible-Presbyterian Church, Singapore.