Train Me!!
This guy is my hero.Patrick Boon Ooi TAN, M.D. Ph.D.
He's the President's scholar for 1987, went to Harvard for his B.A., and got his M.D. Ph.D. from Stanford. He took 8 years to complete his M.D. Ph.D.
Came across this also:
Biomedical Sciences in Singapore:
Looking back, Looking forward
Prof. Tan Chorh-Chuan gave this presentation some time ago to some Duke people I presume. Just take a look at the URL.
Basically he highlighted some important BMS policies in the presentation. According to him, building up our translational and clinical research capabilities is of critical importance (of course it's about the economy and money and IP etc but I won't disagree).
And and, according to the news, they are setting up a new regulatory body to coordinate HR issues between NUH and NUS-SOM. This can potentially lessen the workload of clinician scientists rather substantially - they will still have dual responsibilities but at least they won't be overstretched as much as they are now. Hmms Dr. Berman is a clinician scientist (he's a practising pathologist and he is also my PI), Brian is a practising vet, and both their lives don't look stressful to me? :P
Ok. I am prepared to ride with the wind. I don't mind getting my M.D. in Singapore (which might be better actually if I were to practise in Singapore), on 2 conditions.
1) 11 years of bond is simply too insane. I am not so desperate yet. I can still survive with a PhD only.
2) I want to do my PhD in the US, UK or Europe. For one simple reason: I need a graduate degree from a respectable institution outside Singapore. I might not stay in Singapore forever - who knows what will happen 20 years from now?
And basically Singapore cannot import all our M.D. Ph.Ds - I don't think an American doctor will know how to communicate with a grievous Cantonese-speaking 80-years old auntie that came to the hospital to accompany her husband who is getting treated for some sort of lung cancer. Well, no matter who the patient is Hopkins patients speak English?! And they will be mostly Americans :P
I can imagine how stressed the auntie will be when confronted by this ang moh doctor who doesn't understand her. Worse - she can't understand the ang moh doctor also. It's inevitable for practising clinician scientists to be in contact with patients. Hmmms bottomline is, as we are building up our research capabilities, our standard of care cannot be compromised. It should rise as we become better - if not the efforts will not serve its purpose and will be misdirected.
Singaporean clinician scientists are needed, whether local or foreign trained - and I am insane enough to offer myself to be trained (yeah to most medical students and doctors in Singapore people like me are insane). So train me! All you need to give me is the money. I'll settle the rest :D
Labels: Studies and Career
