Trick Questions!

Scenario #1
Time: 1100
Place: Northern Mental Health Services, ACIS (i'm doing Psych as my MSA)
Persons involved: Dr JT and myself

Dr JT: So Christine, why did you choose Psychiatry? There must be an area of interest that you
have in mind...? **TRICK QUESTION ALERT**
Me: *i never said anything about liking psych?! oh yeah... it's my elective. that says a LOT!*
Actually... To be very honest with you... I didn't choose it.
Dr JT: *gives me THE look* well, at least you're honest about it :)
Me: But... ahh... It's really interesting, to be able to see a whole spectrum of psychiatric illnesses.
And now that I'm in the community setting, I think it would help me get exposure to the
other services that are provided here. *phew, there you go!*

oh you know, Dr JT's actually malaysian, and he's so young for a consultant! heaps nice too. he let me go off early that day (but i still reached the city at 530 regardless cos it's SO FAR LAH!). he taught me lots just on that day alone.. brought me in to see a psychopath. Nuff said. hahaha...

Scenario #2
Time: 1515
Place: Still at the Northern Mental Health Services, ACIS
People involved: Dr DL and myself

Me: *knock knock* Hi I'm Christine, blah blah, doing Psychiatry MSA and I'm supposed to
arrange with you the schedule for my MAC team? I emailed you the other day (carefully
avoid mentioning the Psych Viva that I sat for last Friday in which he was one of the
examiners, hoping he won't recognise me)
Dr DL: Yes, Christine! I remember you. You took the Viva last Friday. How did you think the
exam go? **TRICK QUESTION AGAIN**
Me: Err... OK?? (what am i supposed to say right?!)
Dr DL: You know, actually I think you know more than what you presented, you were just too
nervous.
Me: -_-" (Actually... I really don't know anything. And whatever I presented reflected exactly
what I knew but I can't say that can I?????) I was quite nervous, and yeah, I wasn't too
sure of the answers, just went blank. Ha ha ha... (y'know, to break tension)

But again, he was really nice to show me how to get there cos it's not in the hospital AGAIN! and he was quite happy to see that I'm doing Psych as my MSA (he doesn't really have to know why, hahaha!)

Scenario #3
Time: approximately 1830 (it went on forever, i can't tell)
Place: Cardiology Administration Unit, TQEH
People involved: Prof JH, myself, Chuen, Aly, Robert

Prof is going through my research proposal draft, when suddenly he looks up,
Prof: There's going to be a big scale research done on Perhexiline (which is the drug i'm
proposing to research on) next year **TRICK STATEMENT** (looking expectantly at
me)
Me: Oh really! That's interesting Prof. *forces a smile* Where is it going to be done?
Prof: Most probably in Europe *YES!* but they'll probably have an Australian arm *NO!* to it.
I'm definitely going to be a part of it.
Me: Oh! That sounds exciting..
Prof: Yes it does, it is very exciting.
Me: *silence*
Prof: *stupid girl, i'm expecting you to say you want to be a part of it too!*
Me: *oh no! I totally blew it*

it's not that i don't want to do it, i'm really afraid i'm not competent enough, or able to cope with it next year. but i must say, prof has been so so so nice! contrary to popular beliefs. which I have only God to thank for :)