Of Ethics, Hong Kong and M4

our class received an email on friday evening, stating that to fulfill the requirements of the ethics component of our course, we either have to hand in our case study by next month, or sit for an ethics vignette test at the end of this year. it's going to be an hour long test, and we need to be able to identify and argue the ethical and legal aspects of several cases. it's funny how they like to change their minds on stuff like this, but somehow i'm not as put off by the test as i thought i would be. the case study seems rather tricky to me, in terms of getting a case and looking for a marker, so the test sounds like a hassle-free way to clear the requirements. bioethics is very interesting, but is not often raised during clinicals. it should be taught in depth, especially given the type of headlines such issues are getting (eg the organ transplant fracas at the old hospital, separation of the iranian siamese twins, stunting the growth of a severely retarded little girl). but it can get very emotional, as one professor warned us during his ethics lecture. ethics reveals a person's perspective in life and involves his religious views, but having the chance to explore all the possibilities deepens our understanding of the issues at hand. won't that be great?

i just got back from hong kong. spent quite a bit of time visiting relatives who seldom come down to singapore. one is about ninety years old but still climbs the hill behind her block every day at five in the morning! amazing. i managed to shop a bit, and got some clothes. also ate like a pig, especially when we were forced fed by relatives. heh.

had an extremely unpleasant experience while on the half day city tour though. as with most tours, we traveled around by bus, and most of us do not really expect to sit in the same place after every stop do we? well, one gentleman on our trip did not, and when we sat in his seat because someone else had taken ours, he yelled at us and waved his hands in front of my mom. then he turned around to berate the poor tour guide, claiming that he was a guide in singapore too and that he always makes sure that people go by his rules. i mean, sure, we all would like to have the same seats throughout the journey, but if it isn't the case, then you shouldn't be taking it out on everyone. we were coming down victoria's peak then, and it was only after we had completed our descend that he had finished with scolding the tour guide. imagine! a fine example of an ugly singaporean indeed.

anyhoo, hong kong was hot hot hot, but the train stations and shopping centres offered some relief. i won't mind going back for another few more days, but not so soon. still, i love the fact that my mother tongue is spoken everywhere over there. that was quite an experience. heh. hope to put some pictures up, when i've figured out what's wrong with my wire.

and mumbler is going to be a fourth year soon. wow. i've got one year of clinical experience under my belt, and there's going to be much more to come.