The Turning Point

Prior to joining the government service, you are expected to attend an induction. 

When I first received the letter informing me of my attendance, I was a little reluctant. Truth be told, I envisioned a situation where we would be indoctrinated about the joys of the government, and I wasn't looking forward to the weeks of that prior to being introduced to the grueling life of a doctor.

It came and went, thankfully with minimal issues, but surprisingly, a lot of it was relevant and useful to what was to be my upcoming position, actual issues that covered the department structure and pay schemes, and a basic introduction to the world of the Ministry of Health.

One of the sessions we had to sit through was a session on soft skills. Soft skills are a range of skills that emphasize on communication and body language - those little extras that take you from being good in whatever you're doing, to being great. 

I was surprised at the quality of the speakers, who were passionate and very engaging. I was impressed at the approach - the way they had taken into consideration what the public wanted, through the complaints and comments people had made through newspapers, and seemed to be taking active steps to rectify the problems. I was heartened by the fact that they seemed to truly care about being in the government health service and feeling as if they actually wanted us to make a difference.

These days, working for the government seems a lot more exciting, as it seems like we are at the cusp of a turning point, and we are the ones who will be taking healthcare to the next level. We are a new generation of doctors, a new breed of housemen.

Hopefully, we will make a difference.