Dr Delphine Kao, NUHS National PGY1 Programme, 2021 Cohort
"As a HO fresh out of medical school, the culture in NUHS felt very warm and welcoming. I remember being quite nervous stepping into the working environment and having patients to take ownership of. Slowly and gradually, my anxiety eased and I started to pick up skills along the way as seniors in NUHS regardless of rank, would take time out to teach hard skills like clinical approaches and soft skills such as how to break bad news and how to conduct a family conference.
Besides the opportunistic teachings during ward rounds everyday, the NUHS PGY1 Programme also organises workshops for us that guide us through the daily scenarios that we may face. In Paediatrics at NUH, there are clinical simulation courses for common CTSPs and emergencies like code blue. I've found myself remembering these simulation courses and what was taught when I'm on-call and faced with the same emergency. A sedation course was also taught to us and as HOs, it felt empowering to be able to administer sedation and help relieve the workload of our seniors.
Lastly, NUHS really puts in effort to ensure the welfare of its PGY1s. For IM, NUH is one that does the night float system, allowing us to have shorter working hours and less fatigue, yet similar clinical learning opportunities as overnight calls. For Paediatrics at NUH, we have 8am post-call which does wonders for mental health. Many NUHS seniors have been working hard to advocate for shorter working hours for their juniors by carrying out further studies on the benefits of the float system. I really see that our feedback is heard and our welfare is well-protected in NUHS.
All in all, I have truly enjoyed my PGY1 Programme in NUHS and could not have asked for a better place to grow."