A Family Doctor's Tale

This book traces my journey from a medical student to become a full family and community doctor. It starts with my first entry into the medical faculty of the University of Singapore full of enthusiasm only to see a hall of cadavers all ready for dissection. Finally I became a medical doctor only to realize that it is conditional upon my finishing 1 year of housemanship or internship. I was sent from one department to another to finish my year of medical work in the public hospitals of Singapore. There was a lot to learn on the way and I improve on my medical skills as I went onwards on my journey to full registration. There were the good , the bad and the ugly among the medical doctors I encountered on the way as well as nursing staff and patients. I learn about the inevitability of death and sometimes however you hard you try, you can not save lives as you wish to. I learn about how to communicate with patients and later as a community doctor how to bond with them. Then there are the pitfalls of a medical doctor practice about the risks of accusations of molestations unless you take proper precautions. As a family doctor you become immersed with your community of patients and their problems. You become their family counselor and adviser. You find that the most important treatment of a patient is by prevention through health education and healthy living. After 37 years you become a part of the patient's life and his family. 4 generations of patients slowly become part of your medical life.
That is the life of a Family doctor and my tale of how I become one!
TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter 1 IN THE BEGINNING
Chapter 2 THE NEW DOCTOR
Chapter 3 THE ENT DEPARTMENT
Chapter 4 A TALE OF 2 CANCERS
Chapter 5 THE ANESTHETIC DEPARTMENT
Chapter 6 A TALE OF 2 ANESTHETISTS
Chapter 7 ANESTHESIA, SURGEONS and SLEEP
Chapter 8 THOMSON ROAD GENERAL HOSPITAL
Chapter 9 EMERGENCIES AND NIGHT DUTIES
Chapter 10 MALARIA PATIENT
Chapter 11 THE MILK DRIP
Chapter 12 VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
Chapter 13 INSECTICIDE POISONING
Chapter 14 MEDICAL COLLEAGUES
Chapter 15 MEDICAL LOCUM
Chapter 16 THE RUNDOWN FAMILY CLINIC
Chapter 17 GROUP PRACTICE LOCUM
Chapter 18 FACTORIES, SHIP AND HOUSECALLS
Chapter 19 MY OWN FAMILY CLINIC
Chapter 20 MY FIRST PATIENT
Chapter 21 WORD OF MOUTH
Chapter 22 MY COMMUNITY OF PATIENTS
Chapter 23 THE FAMILY DOCTOR
Chapter 24 –ART OF COMMUNICATION IN FAMILY PRACTICE
Chapter 25 FAMILY COUNSELOR
Chapter 26 ASSISTANT DOCTOR
Chapter 27 THE PARTNERSHIP
Chapter 28 PITFALLS OF COMMUNITY DOCTOR
Chapter 29 PIN IN THE FOOT
Chapter 30 ARTHRITIS CASES
Chapter 31 ASTHMA AND BREATHLESSNESS
Chapter 32 GASTRITIS
Chapter 33 GASTROENTERITIS
Chapter 34 TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA
Chapter 35 SKIN INFECTIONS
Chapter 36 THE COMMON COLD
Chapter 37 INFLUENZA
Chapter 38 STORY OF AMAZING COLD SORE VIRUS
Chapter 39 ORIGINAL POEM ON SPA
Chapter 40 A DAY AT THE SPA
Chapter 41 COMPASSION