The Stars and Stripes

As I got conveniently reminded/scolded that I should be sharing my wonderful fantastic life in New York City with you guys, I shall now retrospectively blog my entries since april 10th. The reason I didn't blog for so long is because I have so many things to do and so many things to see.

Honestly, I must add, this is not going to be very much different. So now, Today's topic. Famous Personalities.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is one of the foremost, if not top cancer center in the continental USA and possibly the whole wide world. As part of a medical school, it is part of the Weill Cornell Medical School.

But MSKCC is a world onto itself. This is how big this place is.

On my first day in clinic, I can't remember when it was exactly, but I get people from all walks of life streaming in. CEOs of BIG NAME institutions. I mean BIG BIG institutions. I guess for patient privacy, which is really a big thing in this place, i won't disclose what institutions but well. Thats how big time this place is. You also have people coming in, holding book that the doctors here have written, bestsellers mind you, and practically begging to be treated. Well, its fair to say that this place has mainly wealthy people, but thats not to say that all patients here are supermillionaires. Its not like NUH private wing, where you just see designer bags the whole day from indo tai tais who want plastic surgery or breast implants or vagina tightening surgery ( not sure if its offered there though)

You have people from all over the globe flying into this place to seek treatment. People who drive all the way from the west coast to seek treatment. Everybody comes here for treatment, the rich that is. And guess what, this place is an academic institution, but the senior cons/cons ( they call them attendings here) are paid a princely sum of 260000USD per year. before taxes. I don't think that includes bonus. ands thats just PUBLIC practice. Seriously, singapore has a long way to go in terms of doctor renumeration.

well, the patients themselves aren't the only big people here. the doctors are as well. My gosh, you just type their bloody names onto pubmed and guess what, AT LEAST 50 articles come out. And if you type into google or yahoo, you have citations, awards by various societies of medicine/surgery/boards etc. and they are just so famous. I mean, I joined my first attending, who's this french guy who perfected the most popular laparascopic prostatectomy technique used in the world right now. I mean, his bloody name is everywhere when you type prostate on emedicine, cos he simply invented the gold standard with his friend back in france. That's how big the people here are. Just one person is enough to highlight to you how bright the stars shine in over this side of the atlantic. And the best part of them all, they are so bloody nice. NOT LIKE THOSE STUPID singaporean surgeons who just scowl and make tons of noise and tell you to get out of their way. even the most unfriendly surgeons here just keep quiet but don't mind if you scrub in with them.

of a short note, i just scrubbed up with the chief of surgery in the hospital and holy shit, he has simply no airs, and he explains every thing and he has finally allowed me to regain my confidence and inspiration to do surgery again. I have been feeling rather lost regarding my career lately, not just because of the diathermy smell, but the idea of the quality of life. But over here, i was just so impressed by how they are such nice people, even asking a full question ( Can I have the mosquito PLEASE?) when requesting for surgical instruments. They treat one and all the same. Even the attendings requested that I call them by first name. Which is in great contrast to the japanese/Oriental patriachal ideas that rank and status must be respected. Oh my gosh, its so nice and cool here. I'm in love. Stipes here are not pulled over here. and they are just so friendly. Ever think that your a/cs and cons will like lunch with you and TALK to you as though there wasn't a generation gap? I'll talk more about the cool stuff they do over here in the next post coming tomorrow.

P.S. So what if there's a V Tech masssacre, so what if this place is less safe than singapore. so what if the subway here breaks down more often, i can tell you, new york is just a city to fall in love with. and maybe live here forever.

P.S. my first post shall be about work. Unless you so love to hear me detail my shopping trips which will come due later, after I have fully explored the entire place to my leisure.