QUOTE(maximR @ Nov 10 2013, 05:32 PM)
If you don't mind these probing questions , please do answer them :
1 . When you mean 'secured' , what do you mean ? Full tuition waiver ? Secured a place at either one of the universities to do A-Levels ?
2 . Why MBBS ? Are you academically interested in it ? What is it about MBBS that makes you want to pursue it in the future ? The systematic study of diagnosis , treatment and prevention of disease , or the rigor of the course ?
3 . Being a doctor can be incredibly challenging at the beginning . You'd very probably be numb to patients whom you treat . Are you ready for that ?
4 . The normal route for students wanting to pursue medicine is the usual STPM , or Matrikulasi . MBBS at Monash costs a bomb . Are you trying to get tuition waivers/scholarships ?
Thanks !
1. Not a full tuition waiver, but I do have maximum scholarships offered at the moment. Will be able to upgrade once I actually get there.
2. I've been interested in MBBS since I was 5. I will concede that I'm not a huge fan of studying and mugging for years, which is what MBBS can turn out to be, but my passion lies in diagnosing diseases and decreasing the suffering of people with illnesses/deformities. Currently I am interested in neurology, cardiology, gynaecology/obstetrics and dysmorphology. I'm excited to actually get to experience these fields and see which one I suit best. I know that there are at least 10 years of studying - not including failing and retaking - which will definitely be a challenge, but I'm going to give it my best shot.
3. Honestly, I've had a lot of (well-meaning) people tell me the same thing over and over again. I've had so many people warn me about being numb to patients, feeling depressed about death, feeling stressed and overworked, and my answer has been the same for ages. I feel like I can handle it, and if it's more than I've expected, I'll get through it. A lot of people actually have the idea that being a doctor gives "great joy" when you can cure a patient, but I'm not in it for the "joy" or "achievement" or the money. I'm in it to help people and to make their lives easier. I shadowed a doctor last year (witnessed, first-hand, a C-section, listened to the heartbeat of a child with a hole in his heart among other interesting stuff) so I do know the sort of things you need to go through as a doctor, day by day. I'm not just a person who thinks House MD is cool (though it is, quite). I've also had people probe along the lines of "you'll have no time for family!" and I think it's fine cos I'm not a family-oriented person anyway. My job is probably going to be my life, so I want to make it really count.
4. STPM and Matrikulasi are options that I have been considering, but unfortunately, being non-bumi does make it significantly harder. MBBS in any private university, Monash, IMU or Taylors, will definitely cost a bomb. Tuition waivers for MBBS aren't very common, in fact for most of these universities, they will offer merit awards and waivers for other health science divisions, but just not MBBS. I am on the look-out for scholarships, even if it means being bonded to the government. I actually don't mind being bonded to the government.
That said, I'm not delusional so I understand that if my plans don't work out, I may have to give up the dream of MBBS. I'm still looking into other things, like chemical engineering and the usual stuff. MBBS is my ultimate goal though, once I get there, it'll be like a mountain climbed.
This post has been edited by mingisms: Nov 10 2013, 06:34 PM