Mastodawn

My First Day As A Medical Officer In KKM

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Housemanship or Internship for Doctors in Malaysia lasts for a duration of 2 years, upon completion of our medical school journey.

For some, they began shortly upon graduation whilst for others, they took a gap year.

I submitted my application to pursue my internship in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia (Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, KKM) shortly after my graduation but did not actually begin till 6 months later in 2023. Two years later, thankfully, I’ve completed and fully registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and possess a valid Annual Practicing Certificate (APC).

Post housemanship, I went on a 3-weeks-break and on the 21st of August 2025, I reported for duty as a Medical Officer.

Upon my completion of housemanship, one would have to go through a “floating period” of maximum 6 months prior to receiving their placement in whichever department, hospital or state of choice. Usually, the floating period occurs in the same hospital that one had completed their housemanship or internship in.

Thankfully, I was offered to float in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. However, I was diving into the world of Surgery with no experience or knowledge in basic suturing.

During my first day, I reported for duty at the Hospital Director’s Office to receive my “floating” placement letter, checked my remaining leaves and proceeded to Burn Ward of Sarawak General Hospital.

The Burn Ward.

I’ve had good memories previously as a House Officer here and I was beyond ecstatic as well as relieved to be accepted into this department which is filled with understanding and helpful bosses.

I was then given orientation by one of the medical officers, clerked a burn patient that was just admitted and spent most of my time accompanying a fellow friend who thankfully is in the same department. Considering it was my first day and a rather slow one, I was able to return home at 5pm.

There’s just so much more that I have yet to learn. Hopefully, I’ll have both the mental and physical strength to push through.

Thankfully, the environment is one that is filled with love and encouragement.

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The Theoretical Doctor Mar 16, 2025

My Experience as A Plastics House Officer | Housemanship Diaries

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When I entered the Surgical Posting, we initially did not have the privilege of experiencing subspecialities like other batches.

This was due to the fact that there were lack of house officers.

However, mid-Nov, there was redirection of House Officer allocation and suddenly, the posting was overflowed with House Officers.

Hence, subspecialities were reintroduced. The subspecialities reintroduced are neurosurgical, plastics and urology.

Ever since my first posting in Orthopeaedics, I’ve always wanted to experience being in Plastics after assisting my medical officer at that time with SSG.

Thus, during my final weeks, I was given the priviledge.

The Burn Ward is located at Level 3 of the Main Building, and is able to host at most, 10 patients, with each patient having their own room/cubicle.

Usually the burnt patients are kept at Burn Ward whereas other patients who are admitted for AVF creation or SSG are placed at Surgical Ward.

The timing for us House Officers is from 7am till 6pm, Sunday till Friday with an off day on Saturday.

During my time in Plastics, I would usually arrive on time at 7am and proceed to trace the bloods first. After all the bloods have been traced, I would proceed to help out with morning reviews.

Morning reviews are usually done by the postcall medical officer. This is then followed by rounds with the surgeons, usually starting with the acute or rather, the intubated patients followed by the rest.

Rounds at Burn Ward is only once daily. After morning rounds, we would gather at the “Handover Room” whereby the patients who are not in the Burn Ward but is being seen by Plastics as another team or as a primary team are being handed over in terms of case and progress as well as the newly admitted ones.

Next, we will proceed to follow the “Peri rounds” and change dressings if needed. Usually after the Peri rounds is when us House Officers go about our joblists in terms of posting case, referrals or bloodtakings or imaging request.

The rest of the day could be pretty chill if there is nothing going on but usually, there would be new patients to be transferred in, take blood or any post-op patients to be reviewed.

Sometimes there are cases being called and we are more than welcome to join the operation. In between, there are arterial blood gases (ABGs) to be take in between or bloods to be sent.

Finally, in the evening, prior to leaving at the end of our shift, we would prep the coming mornings and leave them nearby before informing in our Surgical House Officer’s group in regards to the “coming mornings”.

My time in Plastics was rather short-lived and I felt that there was so much more to be learnt. But my time spent there was extremely wonderful and the medical officers and surgeons were more than helpful and welcoming towards the new people into their team.

Definitely, a department that I would want to return to.