SuMmArY & ReFlEcTiOn Of My 13 WeEkS InDuStRiAl AtTaChMeNt At AlExAnDrA HoSpItAl

- Summary

First of all, I would like to raise my glass in a toast to all that has been accomplished on my 1st half of my industrial attachment at Alexandra Hospital, and to the learning yet to come. Industrial attachment has helped me to see the world in a different perspective. Without this attachment, my knowledge regarding the outside world is only limited to just theoretical application and doing experiments in our lab is definitely not sufficient. Furthermore, having such wonderful supervisors such as Mr. Sin Kok Chuen and Mr. Toh Ai Leng has been an advantage as all my doubts has been clarified regarding what I have learnt throughout my years in Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

My attachment starts at 8.30am. I dislike getting up so early in the morning to go to the attachment. It is not that I dislike the attachment. I just dislike having a drag myself out of bed when it is still dark outside and when my eyes refuse to open, especially after having only a few hours sleep because of watching television till late the previous night (my fault!). If only the attachment programme would start a bit later then everything will be fine. (Fat Hope!). Then I would not have to get up so early, I would not have to wait my turn to use the bathroom and best of all I would not have to jerk myself from my warm comfortable bed. (Everybody Now: Heavy sighs!)

The moment I hit the crisp morning air on my way to work, my whole outlook changes. Ah, the cool air is invigorating. Life is wonderful. Work is wonderful with all my newfound friends and family and definitely the surroundings.

Throughout my 13 weeks of attachment to Alexandra Hospital – Biomedical Engineering department as a somewhat Biomedical Engineering Assistant. I have done some basic repair, preventive maintenance and commissioning of medical equipment. Above them all, I found that doing repair is the most challenging as I not only have to analyse the fault but also learn the most important aspect which is decision making because the equipment that I am fixing will be used on patients. I tried as meticulously as I could to repair. With the help of a checklist and service manuals, it really make breakdown services much easier.

In the face of such ordinaries and sameness, what can I do? For the time being I suppose there is nothing much I can do. I cannot just quit and run away from everything. What can I do except maybe to another routine somewhere. When I am older and have more autonomy then I can do something. I realize that routine is the result of doing the same things over and over again. To avoid routine, it is then up to me to do things differently and do different things off and on, just to break the routine. By having more bright spots of happy activity I am confident that I can defeat the numbing effect of routine. Hopefully, the true way to render myself happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure

When the sun sets, it is time to go home and to do my weekly report and interim report and probably watch television a bit. I struggle through the enormous amount of information that I have to write in my interim report. Sometimes I wonder why young people like me have to work trying to stuff facts and figures into our tired brain just to obtain a good grade. So after an hour or two of intensive mental activity, the television set is a most welcome change. However after a while of being informed of the latest killings in the Middle East, the already tired mind just wants to cal it quits. So off to bed I go, to shut my consciousness from the daily routine for eight hours or so. If I am lucky I might get a lovely dream about doing things that I like to do, but even dreams can become routine, like a video tape that keeps on playing the same scene over and over again.

Regardless all of the above, it’s the spark of wanting to learn and ultimate inspiration of meeting deadline that get me through the week. Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness. I just love my newfound family at Alexandra Hospital Biomedical Engineering Department. Thanks everyone.

- Reflections

First as a gesture of goodwill, I bow to you in respect and admiration for having to send me to Alexandra Hospital for my Industrial Attachment. Owing to this chance, I hope I will stick conscientiously to my “routine” and I am sure I will get through with flying colours for time to come. It had been almost 4 months since I parted from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and went on my own separate path to Alexandra Hospital achieve for my industrial Attachment.

With absolute silence, it has been a month since I started my industrial attachment at Alexandra Hospital. How’s the new term like? I suppose things are different there compared to Alexandra Hospital. Perhaps you are still settling down and adapting to your new environment of juggling your assignments and project. As for me, life here in the Hospital is very hectic. My time is fully occupied in attending to breakdown services, preventive maintenance and commissioning of new equipment but I am coping well. For now I am viewing my attachment life as a continuous learning experience.

Although it been only a few months, I am beginning to miss our polytechnic’s life. Nevertheless, I should move on and carry on with our natural course of our growing up years. My daily life is governed by routine, almost totally. What can one expects in the daily life of an ordinary working adult except routine. Regardless of our race, nationality, status and mother tongue, I am sure all of whom who studied in that project room had either fond or sad memories during our project madness days. Personally I think that due to the fact that we as a team had been through a whole line of pep talk, criticisms and what not from all our former lecturers regarding our projects, it begin to change us holistically and see the world in a different perspective, thus preparing us for our industrial attachment.

Most importantly working here at the Biomedical Engineering Department, I learnt to be more humble and not look down on others who failed. I learnt not to be cocky and proud. I also learnt that I must pick myself up again and strive to do better next time. The most crucial thing is not to indulge in self-pity and shame. Failure is neither pitiful nor shameful. It is just something that happens to all of us one time or another. After falling down there is no way to go except up. Therefore, up, I came and carried on with my life since a completely new metamorphosis awaits me.

Dealing with real life scenarios such as repairing life-saving equipment such as defibrillator and Ventilator is very challenges because this equipment will be use on patients. On top of that, I was the ways on how to handle different people ranging from Healthcare workers to Equipment vendors that deal with preventive maintenance as well as commissioning purposes. With the help of Mr. Toh passed experiences, he told me ways on how to deal with them gracefully and reasons things out if anything that is not within my control. Not only will job be done more efficiently, I could maintain good public relations. So far, all the healthcare workers have been very nice and accepted me with hospitable arms and seldom make things difficult for anybody. On the other hand, dealing with vendor is not an easy task. They tend to be complacence and procrastinate. For now, I am still holding on and able to cope with the stress that goes with it.

Sincerely I salute to all the BME lecturers especially to Mdm Tan and Dr. Raj for having to give me another chance for a second review in order to achieve an A for my final year project. I also like to thank Zulkarnain for having through thick and thin for the past 6 months as my project partner. We had always discuss, study as well as talk on different chapters of life ranging from education to social. We encourage each other along the way. It was a healthy and friendly competition among my closest friends that helped me make a difficult climb to where I am now. In addition, I must consider the vagaries of life, which have the habit of destroying all my hopes and dreams. The truth is, none of us knows for certain what the future will bring. I can only do my best and be willing to face the circumstances courageously and optimistically whatever comes in our way. I always remember to take things in my stride otherwise; I will pay the price for my complacence and procrastination.

For the time being, I think I should learn how to live for today and to understand that I should accept the things beyond my control and not take everything so seriously. Respectively I must hold on courage and hope, and not let doubt discourage you from doing what I aspire to do. When I am around the wards doing my preventive maintenance and seeing all those elderly, I remember that the world needs the sunshine of as many smiles as it can get.

Similarly, I should build bridges instead of walls and keep in mind that without healthcare workers and vendors, my industrial attachment would be nothing and thanks them for everything. Besides seeing my good points, i must acknowledge my weak points and change for the better. In addition, I realized that there is an entire lifetime ahead of me, but precious little time should not be wasted. In spite of having obstacles along the way, I shall work for my goals and know that it can be achieved if I reach for my dreams with ability, determination and belief in order to become a strong, righteous and contributing Muslim. Finally, in the end knowing that life will be good to me if I can do my best to be good with life.

In conclusion, let my life principles - Determined and Disciplined be firmly rooted in my heart. I will continue to propagate this core values in all our future achievement and hope success for my future endeavour. So here, wishing all of whom who read my interim report an advance Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will see you soon, if God willing. Until then, sayonara for now and stay healthy. I leave you with a few words of wisdom from Albert Einstein for you to ponder on, - “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new”