I am coming back to the blog after such a long time – my apologies about it! I have been keeping busy with numerous projects and one stands out!- which I am going to share with you!
As you would know by now, I have been blessed with the good fortune to work in multiple different countries and settings – some in the so-called “developing countries” and some so-called “developed world”. The differences I encountered were blinding and stark at times 🙂
I was a trainee in a certain “East Asian” country for almost 7 years. Apart from their “Island mentality” [Dont believe me ? Its an actual entity , read all about it in my previous Blog] what surprised me the most was the fact that some of the “surgeons” over there could not even do a simple operation properly……but the ease they had access to international qualifications such as fellowship…..Just by virtue of “being born” in a certain country. This left me ” disgusted”
On the otherhand my time in Southeast Asia as a trainee was incredible and rewarding . Surgeons, there were competent and skillful…they obviously knew what they were doing. They had excellent hand skills. They could complete a complex operation, skin to skin, without any problems – however. just by virtue of where they were , they did not have access to higher qualifications such as Fellowhip examinations – they had the skills but did not have the know how to obtain international qualifications !!
This made me angry ….why is there such a discrepancy and why could not deserving surgeons from disadvantaged settings who had all the necessary skills could not obtain the specialist qualifications they richly deserve?
I had only one answer to my question – there was no guidance for them to show the path to obtaining international qualifications. Therefore I decided to take matters into my own hands - I compiled a book to guide the general surgical trainees from the dis advantaged settings to obtain fellowship examinations in general surgery!
Certainly was not easy to do this …I spent many sleepless nights and sacrificed the time I should be spending with my Kids and Wife to make this project a success. But having said that I have absolutely no regrets at all, I had plenty of motivation …..
Most of the material in this book was taught to me by my excellent teachers [ I did not have many , but the few genuine teachers I had were exceptional – Ronnie Matthew , John Wang, Jhonny Ong, Alex Chung, Chok Aik Yong, Koh Yexin to mention a few ]. I took pride in the fact that I was paying it forward to helping the younger generations ….Afterall our noble profession is all about giving back and paying it forward !!
What can you do today to give back and pay it forward ?
TC and Safe surgery till I see you again !!
LBS
Surgery-the good bad and ugly 