Can you get Fresher's Flu in Malaysia?

For the freshmen out there who have just entered university, you’re all set out to make your mark in this “new life” by first making new friends from all over the world, then partying hard, getting drunk, attending lectures half-awake..... Three to four weeks in, you realised “Oh no, what is Prof X talking about???”, then you face-palmed while muttering “I really need to start getting my sh*t down...”. No problem, but there is a problem - you have contracted the Fresher’s Flu and it’s only helpful in getting you to sleep.

Yes this is a more common scenario abroad, not in Malaysia, “Fresher’s Flu” itself is a British term. However, I haven’t been a Freshman in Malaysia so I am not sure if you current students are experiencing the same... Fresher’s flu is simply, a bad cold. Now medical students, name me the common symptoms! No? Get out of the class!

I am not writing this article to tell you to take preventive measures against this, because, you cannot really - as many as 90% of the students would contract the illness. Yes, the number is very high, but why? When the academic year starts in UK - around the end of September to the beginning of October - there is a convergence of large numbers of people coming from around the world bringing in various pathogens. Obviously, not everyone will have acquire the necessary immunity yet. In addition to that, poor lifestyles including diet and late nights, homesickness and stress from trying to adapt to a new environment makes one more susceptible to the infection as your immune system is weaken.

Question is, what about the other 10% of students? How did they resist the flu? Or maybe, the 10% of you can just give us the answer. Medical students, work your brain and leave some suggestions!

I would give you some tips myself, but chances are, you'd rather enjoy your fresher's week than go for these "boring" recommendations I have in mind. Good Luck!

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Review: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog

By Zulhilmi Ibrahim

The first time I laid eyes on the book, I was hooked. I guess it is mainly because of my interest in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, thus giving me the notion that, well, not everyone would want to read this kind of writing. Boy, was I wrong. After having finished reading it, I cannot help but think that everyone should read it.“The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog” by Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz is a compilation of carefully selected cases from the notebook of Dr. Bruce Perry, a child psychiatrist.

Though I have to say, it is somewhat dry, a bit medical and factual that if you are going for leisure reading, this might not be a good book (which explains why I took so long to finish it). He explained the cases through a neuropsychiatric point of view, which I think could serve as a revision for your neurology (TSM) block in a very, very interesting way! Some of the points are quite repetitive, but hey, that is what the author wanted to emphasize, and it also means that the root of the problem is pretty much the same. In contrast to what some parents believe, that children need to be exposed to many new things to learn, they actually need repetition, routine and things they can comfortably predict. Make things unpredictable and chaotic, they will go haywire. You see kids who appeared naughty and spoilt and you quickly pass a judgment. This book will change your perspective and open a door to the possible reasons.

Mind you, it is about traumatized and neglected children, and a lot of those cases will make you gasp and shake your head in disbelief, some are heart wrenching and some will attract invisible ninjas chopping onions around you, if you know what I mean. Some are deliberate sexual and physical abuse, and some are innocent, unintentional acts from parents and caretakers. I even need to filter which chapter is "safe" for my wife to read, afraid that it will overwhelm her. The cases perhaps are a bit on the extreme side, but really, the fundamentals are there; what can go wrong and how. And these are the gems from the book that I find each and every one of us should know. Especially the unintentional ones, as they can be avoided by simply… knowing.

Children have always been my passion as truly, they are the leaders of tomorrow. We shape them, hence, we shape the future. I refuse to believe that it is all about the parents as to what will become of their children. Yes, a big chunk of their lives are influenced by the parents/caretakers, but the community, you and me, also play important roles in their upbringing as well. I don’t think I can do justice to his writing by trying to explain it here, so I will just let you read it yourself.

P/S: I never really understood how “Munchausen-by-proxy” syndrome or “fabricated illness”  is a form of abuse towards children until I read this book. So read it!

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We Are Ready.

Finals spanned over a dreadful three weeks. The 10th of June, 2014 was the last day of the last examination - MOSLER or in its full form called Multiple Observed Structured Long Examination Records - of which many of us may have just found out from reading this. But, it no longer mattered. Two days later (today), the Pass List would be out. The very validated key of freedom from five gruelling years of Medical School, is finally handed over to NUMed’s first batch of graduates. 

And, we celebrate! 

Massive congratulations to the lovely seniors. It has not been easy to earn this valuable degree from NUMed. As Professor Reg Jordan said, the examination is a fair process and the outcome really determine our readiness to embark on a doctor's career. In fact, NUMed is very much engaged in supporting its students to achieve that, taking a student's future into consideration, and in their best interest. 

The NUMed Class of 2014 would like to extend their most heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all the effort the academic staffs and NUMed management have put in for this success. They hope to continue making everyone proud.

What trails after this would see the graduates busy preparing applications to the Public Services Commission of Malaysia (SPA) and Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) with their choices of local hospitals for their service as a houseman.

“Are we ready? Yes, we are.”

Image credit: theramp.org

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