Next month marks another new chapter to my life. I'm not sure whether I'm ready to be a consultant, just like when I first stepped into HKL 10 years ago, I wasn't sure whether I'll be a good doctor or now. Now I'm wondering whether my years of wandering about, gathering knowledge, experience and pearls of wisdoms from various hospitals, mentors, colleagues and patients - whether I'll be worthy of the calling of a consultant general surgeon in a big academic medical centre in Asia.
Recently I met a few people who made me think very hard about the meaning of being a good leader and a healthcare provider. To some, these might be ordinary faces in the streets, foreign faces on this tiny, crowded island. To me, these could have been me should my life turned out differently. Yet they strike me as reminder of this inner meaning and purpose - What is my calling?
The calling is simple but not as easy to achieve - to live according to God's will, marked by being a person filled with moral values, integrity and honour. With each blessings in life, sometimes we forget that if we give up on our values, all that is left is emptiness and early burn-out. Today I received a reminder from above that I cannot squander all that I've been taught and given, and I do not ever 'rest on my laurels' - coz we should never stop learning and giving....
Before next month even begins, next week is the start of the school term for the bright medical students in clinical years in NUS. God has placed me here for a purpose, and I sure hope that I can give back to the community what He has given to me. Alongside some of the best medical and surgical tutors in the region, again I have the opportunity to guide these young sparks into the backbone of the healthcare system in this country. I pray that I'll be able to effectively help these young ones into being competent, confident and caring doctors of the future.
