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It's a yearly ritual, a landmark on the annual NUS Medical school calendar, and most importantly, the traditional curtain raiser for the students of each incoming M1 (first-year medical students) batch. In this collage of articles, written by the director of the whole event, an Orientation Group Leader, and a first year medical student who participated in the camp, I hope that you will understand better the most meaningful of welcomes for the newest batch of doctors-to-be.

A dazzling showcase of deft footwork, nimble reflexes, sublime skill and teamwork. Add to that a good dose of camaraderie, fighting spirit and friendship --- you'll begin to see why it was a memorable 3 days and 2 nights in Malaysia. In true blue medical fashion, the acronym MUNUS provides a breakdown on one of the most time-cherished traditions of both the Malaysian and Singaporean medical fraternities:

Medicine—MUNUS stands for the University of Malaya-National University of Singapore Medical Faculty Games. It is an event held annually to celebrate the ties both universities' medical faculties once shared as a single institution: King Edward VII Medical College. The two schools eventually split when Singapore achieved independence in 1965. Since then, students from both universities have been meeting annually to compete in sporting events for the MUNUS Shield. This year, our Malaysian counterparts had home ground advantage, with the games being held at the Universiti Malaya (UM) campus, Kuala Lumpur from the 18 th to the 20 th of May. Over 50 of our peers crossed the Causeway to compete in a variety of sports-- futsal, soccer, basketball, badminton, volleyball, tennis, squash, netball and handball.

United—This epitomised the NUS contingent. Perhaps the most defining instance of esprit de corps was seen during the futsal match the night we arrived in KL. Not to be daunted by slippery court conditions and dubious refereeing, our girls took to the court, many of whom were new to the game. The guys, watching from the sidelines, cheered on our valiant female players who tussled and fought for every ball. From Gloria the trusty custodian to Erin making mazy runs, the girls displayed a skill level that belied the fact that they had never played as a team before.

When it was the boys' turn to strut their stuff, the girls could be heard screaming, “Man on!” and “Good shot!” in the background. The guys' match proved to be a most nail-biting encounter, with Aloysius, Ian and Pravin getting their names on the scoreboard to eke out an early 5-1 advantage. However, luck and time were not on our side, as the Malaysians somehow managed to draw level after 4 intense quarters. The ensuing penalty shootout ended in our opponents' favour, but our competitive streaks easily gave way to friendly handshakes and hugs of admiration and respect. After a round of photo-taking, a night of rest was in order.

The next day saw fixtures in the remaining sports. Though we were white-washed in most of the events, we did enjoy convincing victories in both tennis and soccer. Most noteworthy, however, was the never-say-die attitude our teammates had. An unprecedented spirit of togetherness and sense of belonging permeated each contest. Often, our cries of encouragement drowned out those from the opposition, and the twelfth man proved to be instrumental in our success. Morale was never low in the NUS camp.

Also, the games saw students from the first, second and third years coming together as one team. Through sport and competition, we forged close bonds and friendships with our seniors.


Night life—Games aside, many of us decided to spend the nights exploring KL. The second night coincided with the live telecast of the much-awaited Manchester United-Chelsea match. As a batch, we trooped down the streets of KL hunting for pubs and cafes with big screens. Many of us will remember the gasps of horror emanating from the crowds each time the Manchester United defence was breached, and the sparse Chelsea supporters cheering when the winning goal was scored.

After the game, many stayed up for a night of supper and chilling out. The witty repartee, jokes and inane conversations will continue to be deeply etched in our minds in years to come.

University culture—The results of the games were announced on the third and final day of MUNUS, with NUS clearly outclassed in terms of victories but definitely on par in terms of effort. We each received a small commemorative plaque and a T-shirt with the caption “Friends are the medicine of life”. As expected, the MUNUS Shield went to our friends from the University of Malaya. Many of us decided not to pass up this excellent opportunity for taking group shots with fellow batchmates and new friends made over the course of two days.

Following which, our hosts gave us a tour of the UM campus. We were brought around prominent locations such as the library (a favourite haunt), lecture theatres, the anatomy hall and the university hospital nearby, to name a few. As we chatted with our friends from UM, we realised that many of us faced the same struggles, difficulties and stress. Many of the hostel rooms we stayed in had walls and cupboard doors adorned with notes on anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. Apart from having the same syllabus, we also shared similar interests, a testimony to the common experience (rigours and joys alike) of medical education, transcending boundaries on many levels.


Shopping—No road trip to KL would be complete without a shopping spree! Our hospitable hosts kindly volunteered to drive us to the shopping hotspots in KL such as 1 Utama and Petaling Street. We soaked in the sights and sounds and exercised our bargaining muscles. Names like A&W, Cinnabon and Dunkin' Donuts seized our attention, and many returned with a great haul of merchandise and delectable treats.

In a word, MUNUS '07 was a blast, and those present can definitely attest to it.