Today, in Ethics, we talked about consent. The importance of acquiring consent from patients is due to the fact that a physician should first and foremost respect the autonomy of his patient. Failure to obtain consent goes against the fundamental right of a patient to have the freedom of choice. In such cases, the physician might subject the patient to unnecessary stress or social stigma should the patient test positive for HIV without prior consent being sought. Consent is therefore important here as it shows the mental preparedness of a patient towards the outcome of any medical procedures. Meanwhile, failure to obtain consent hand perpetuates the disrespect of the physician towards human dignity and bodily integrity. Secondly, from a clinical point of view, the consent of a patient to make an informed and voluntary decision to participate in a certain medical procedure indicates that the patient has faith in the surgeon’s abilities and shows confidence in recovering from a particular illness. This optimistic attitude could contribute to the placebo effect, thereby boosting the efficacy of a treatment tremendously. Lastly, from the point of view of the medical practitioner, it must be noted that patients have the right to decide whatever action that is appropriate to be performed on their bodies. Therefore, the doctor’s failure to obtain patient consent prior to any medical procedure could subject physicians to a criminal charge of battery or negligence.

The key components involved in informed consent again rests on the principle of patient autonomy. The three ethical components for valid consent involve one to be competent, informed and voluntary.  Doctors are to disclose information which includes the broad terms of the nature of the procedure, the probabilities of any side-effects (even if the risk is almost negligible) and in certain cases the severity of the side effects. Any other possible treatments must also be brought up and an honest response to any questions from the patient must be given should the patient enquire relevant information about a medical procedure. On the other hand, the patient must be competent enough to understand the information provided by the doctor and make a voluntary decision out of his own will. He must not merely assent and submit to the doctor’s authoritative order but instead specifically authorizes the doctor to initiate the medical plan. In the process of an informed consent, the patient assumes the responsibility of decision making and then transfers that responsibility to the doctor for him to eventually make a decision regarding the medical procedure which is in the best interests of the patient.

My motivation to study Medicine came from my grandparents, who are plagued with diseases ever since they retired. It pains me to see my once healthy and outgoing grandparents either confined to the walls of their 30 square metre home or paying visits to the hospital time and again. Here, I must applaud my grandparents for their bravery in the fight against viruses and bacteria that has debilitated them. Meanwhile, this has made me come to the realization that whilst one can relinquish his stake in man-made institutions such as economy or politics, one cannot forsake his stake in health. It is this aspect that has encouraged me to study Medicine, as it allows me to apply my expertise in a way to help others alleviate their sufferings, thereby allowing people to live their lives to the fullest.

Medicine is a noble profession and entering medical school should be a choice that is carefully and maturely thought through. It therefore infuriates me to see hypocrites applying to Medicine for the Prestige/Wealth/Disrupt NS (This is ridiculous) just because they have the relevant grades and portfolio. As the great philosopher Immanuel Kant puts it, the ends that one hopes to achieve out of something is of utmost importance, rather than one’s means. In this context, it means that the key factor in differentiating a good doctor from the not-so-good one is actually their cause in treating a patient. Therefore, one whose end in mind is simply financial gains will not make a good doctor, regardless of his proficiency in clinical or surgical skills.

My decision to take up Medicine was made after spending 5 years as a student volunteer in the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society as a student volunteer. I must admit that it was with great reluctance and contempt that I first started my days as a student volunteer back in 2004. With CIP  hours being awarded and my seniors asserting their authority, it was a method of carrot and stick that made me keep going.

As time passed by, waking up at 645am on Saturdays became a habit and the Neighbourhood Link turned into a place of tranquility. I enjoyed my visits to the Moral Link despite the far journey from Bishan to Bedok and the CIP hours soon became meaningless digits. The genuine smiles and the sincere appreciation were enough to keep me motivated to teach them new skills such as Chinese Calligraphy and Chinese Painting. To equip them with the necessary skills to keep up with the pace of the society, I also taught them Basic Conversational English. Sadly, as the years passed, I realized that the elderly have difficulties at times to recall the names of the other student volunteers. Meanwhile, some dropped out of my class, attributing their absence to poor health and the fact that they soon forget whatever I have taught them in class. Determined to help them improve their memory, I conducted a Brain Gym Lesson in the year 2008 to provide challenging mental workouts for the elderly (Materials used during the course would be uploaded on this blog and any student volunteers who would like to adopt such a concept at any voluntary organizations are most welcomed to use the materials as a guide) to impede the process of Dementia and in the process improve their deteriorating memory. Due to the constraints of time and the upcoming A-Levels, it was regrettable that I only managed to conduct a one-month crash course during the June Holidays. With a compulsory service indebted to the nation, my burnt weekends did me no good in my volunteer work.

Looking back at my days as a volunteer, I would like to say that 5 years at the MNLKB has instilled a in me a sense of responsibility. It has also honed my communication skills through my numerous interactions with the elderly, my flexibility to deal with sudden situations and stretched my creativity through lesson preparations. It has also exposed me to people of different temperaments and taught me to be sensitive. More importantly, made me realize the importance of Medicine in maintaining the general well being of one’s physical and mental health, which is also the basis of happiness.