Running with horses: Last day of internship

Finally together with all my friends, i have completed my internship. This means i am a qualified, registered junior doctor now! Looking back at the day when we started, there is definitely a big change in all of us. I think i am more matured and less scared as compared to our first day. Surprisingly it has not been all that stressful as TV series eg Scrubs or Grey's made it out to be. There were definitely stressful days, especially when i was doing emergency medicine (such that i still have palpitations whenever i walk by ED), but as a whole, i thought it was pretty manageable.

Now i am looking forward to my next term - General Surgery. Being the only 'more senior' resident amongst all the new interns, I am sure there would be expectations placed on my performance. I have a few goals in this new rotation. In order of priority, they are 1) complete my daily task as a resident to the best of my ability such that patient care will be a quality one, 2) spend as much time in the theatre as my work allows without compromising 1) and hone my surgical skill, 3) brush up my surgical anatomy 4) complete an audit project or write up a paper to be published in a journal.

Just to recap what i have done in the week, Sebastian - a friend from Holland that Raymun and I made when we were in Blue Mountains, decided to give me a surprise visit. He stayed over at my place for about a week, and though i was busy at my work, we managed to make time for good conversation. We talked about everything from creation to evolution, aliens, God, the exclusive nature of truth, morality in the face of utter human corruption, the meaning of marriage, the meaning of sex, the hypocrisy and failure of christians and the church etc. Sebastian definitely has shown a lot of maturity for someone his age (he is only 19). He believes that the earth was created (rather than evolved), just that he doesn't think the creator is the God of the bible. I am just glad to have the opportunity to speak to him. On the last night, when we were both tired and spent from talking, i offered to pray for him. He agreed. At our prayer, I asked God to make Himself known to him.

Another highlight of the week is, for the first time of my life, I completed the grand slams in Glasshouse Mountains. Having lived here for almost a year now, I have never attempted more than one mountain at a given time. On Friday, Sebastian and i attempted all four on the same day. Mt B (556m), Mt Tibrogargan (364m), Mt Ngungun (253m) and Mt Beerburrum (280m). It was extremely hot that day, so getting from one mountain to another was a challenge. But we managed to complete three (Mt B, Ngungun and Beerburrum) before lunch time, and i went on my own to tackle Tibrogargan in the evening to round up the Grand Slam.

I learned something about this expedition. Running uphill and hiking uphill are two different exercises which recruit slightly different muscles. I don't really know how to explain this in a simple way. Running uphill requires fast turnover of the feet, thereby ensuring efficient release of stored energy in the muscles each time you land and push off. Hiking uphill, on the other hand, requires your feet to be on the ground much longer (i.e slower turnover), and such action not only slows you down naturally, it also requires more power on the part of your feet to move the feet up steeper gradient. When running uphill, the gradient of the slope is usually gentler (otherwise if the gradient is too steep, you won't be to run up). Hence it doesn't require so much energy to push off, especially when you have a quick feet turnover. However when you hike up hill, due to the fact that your feet stays longer on the ground before push off (longer ground contact time), the energy transfer isn't as efficient so you require more energy to complete the task.

If you can run uphill well, it does not mean you can hike steeper hills just as well. In my opinion, they are both different exercises which need to be trained for any serious athlete wanting to do well in mountain races.

Hmm.. My fiance and I really want to go for mission revival prayer meet in Gunung Murud in Sarawak, Borneo in July next year. But i am doubtful of my ability to take leave at that period. Sigh.. Dear Father, if You want me to go, You will make it happen. I just have to surrender, trust and obey.

Now I am going to sleep soon so i can wake up early to reach work by 6.45am. Good night!

Total distance: 47km

Total elevation: 2264m

Total time: 6hrs41mins