Good grip on medical emergencies
SEEING the smile and happiness on a patient’s face is what motivates Dr Raymond Choy Wai Mun to continue working as a general practitioner at the Raffles Medical Group (RMG), Singapore.
The International Medical University (IMU) alumnus is also a doctor in the Emergency Response Team at the Changi International Airport and a physician leader in the airport cluster. Working as a doctor at the airport, Dr Choy has to deal with people of different cultures and so, it is important for him to speak their language as communication is the key.
“Always remember that patients come first. What I learnt from the two universities where I studied medicine is ICE – ideas, concerns and expectations. I was taught to always explore patients’ ideas on certain diseases or conditions, their concerns and also their expectations from the consultation and treatment,” he said.
A typical clinical work day for Dr Choy would be going to work at 8am to meet his patients at the airport’s 24-hour medical clinic. On busy days, he would have to perform minor surgeries such as incision and drainage, suturing, excision of lumps and bumps.
“Being part of the 24-hour medical emergency response team at the airport, we have to respond to any emergency cases be it on an aircraft or within the airport compound. On a busy day, I could see about five to eight emergency cases consecutively, and would be running between different terminals of the airport and sending patients to the hospital in our ambulance,” said Dr Choy.
“In addition, it is also a typical routine for me to see pilots for their annual licensing medical examinations during lunch time. Sometimes, I need to attend to death-on-arrival cases, whereby I will have to assess the deceased traveller on board. As a person working in the frontline, I will also have to deal with infectious diseases and prevent such cases from entering Singapore,” he said.
Dr Choy started out in the field of medicine at IMU, Malaysia, in 2003 and graduated with a medical degree from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom (UK).
“Personally, I think both universities have prepared and shaped me to become a more competent and compassionate person in the field. It has moulded me into a better person and more so, a team player in the healthcare industry. Nevertheless, the experience has also opened my mind, making me work towards a better, healthier and more vibrant world,” he said.
Dr Choy’s advice to aspiring doctors is to “believe in yourself and never underestimate your capabilities of doing great things and making an impact in other people’s lives. Dare to dream and make an effort to pursue your dreams passionately.”
Apart from completing the entire degree in IMU, students who are studying medicine can also opt to study the first two and a half years of the programme in IMU and transfer to one of its partner universities in Australia, the UK, Ireland or Canada for completion of the degree. With more than 20 international partnerships, it shows that the IMU curriculum has been developed to meet these universities’ high international standards.
At IMU, medical students will get clinical exposure as early as the first semester to ensure that students gain sufficient skills before transferring to the clinical years. By completing the entire degree locally in IMU, students will undergo an intensive sixmonth senior clerkship at Hospital Batu Pahat or Hospital Kluang in Semester 10, working in wards under the supervision of senior clinicians.
The early clinical exposure and intensive senior clerkship will prepare medical students for patient care and housemanship training, enabling them to become better doctors.
Intakes for this programme start in February and August each year. Those interested in the medical programme are encouraged to make an online application today.
For more information, visit www.imu.edu.my, e-mail start@ imu.edu.my or call 03-2731 7272.