Community Service and Other Stuff

            Many people believe that as a medical student, you will not have much free time.  That is partially true.  You will find that in the first two years, though, there will be a pretty large proportion of time outside lectures that you can choose to use in any way you want it.  If you are used to the packed full-day lecture style of JC, or perhaps, NS, this freedom of utilizing your time any way you want it may be a little disorienting.  However, you will find that most of this free time will be spent studying or preparing for lectures/ tests.  What then do you do in the remainder of the time?

            I spent some of my free time helping out for various community service projects.  Yes, yes…  community service makes you think of mandatory 6-hour requirements and perhaps contrived efforts at helping those less fortunate.  However, take a closer look at what volunteering is all about. 

1. No matter how small the effort, every bit we do does matter.  Whether it be administrative work, or direct interaction to cheer the day of some terminally ill patients, every effort helps. 
2. As future doctors (when we eventually clear all those exams…), compassion and a heart that can feel and care for people suffering is critical in helping us remain humane doctors.  Every doctor needs at least a little compassion to communicate with patients in pain.  Of course, there will be some who feel that so long as their clinical skills are excellent, compassion can take a back-seat.  I beg to differ.  Even as people, we should always have a heart that can feel for others.  And compassion is like a muscle.  The more we exercise it, the stronger it becomes.  Volunteering provides that opportunity and exposure to people in need of help and prevents us from becoming hardened in the pursuit of academic excellence.
3. As I spent time interacting with some patients from Home Care Association Day Care Centre (beside Dover Park Hospice), as well as the staff and volunteers there, I learnt much.  Some patients impacted me very much with their cheerful and uncomplaining spirit despite the pain they were in.  The staff and volunteers also showed a dedication and patience that really made a difference to the patients.  Spending time helping out kept my perspective of life much larger than just the world of Snell, Guyton and Lippincott’s.  And that’s what I believe a large part of a doctor’s life is about—dealing with life and death.

As you enter University, you’ll find many different activities you can participate in.  We all have different ways of relaxing and finding a balance to the heavy academic workload.  But do consider volunteering as one of the possible activities you could do.  It makes a difference to others.  And in truth, I consider myself the one who has benefited the most.

Lee Yi Yong, M1 02/03

                       7Previous                                                < Index                                                Next8