Losing a colleague to functional medicine

Do not get me wrong. Functional medicine is good. Especially when it is practised ethically. I hope my colleague will be able to integrate his passion for functional medicine with the current practice well. What is more important is to do no harm to the patient. When a colleague like him, who is a senior and in a permanent position with relatively good wages, decides to leave, that’s when we know he is going for Self- Actualisation. Good for him.

We wish him all the best.

And like any badak ceremony, we saw him off with a farewell party. This time the theme is Oriental. So there’s a hotpot with an Oden-ish broth, siew mai, pau and many others.

Meeting in the middle

We had a fruitful meeting 2 weeks ago between the medical officers and our Family Medicine Specialist (FMS).

Work processes were clarified. Problems were highlighted. Solutions were offered. Having said that, it doesn’t mean that we would have a smooth year. Hiccups are bound to happen, and unique dilemmas are likely to surface. Thus, continuous effort to harness creativity in managing workplace expectations is deemed necessary.

There are a few things I am personally excited about;

  • New leadership under a female medical officer with a surgical background. Without allowing my personal bias to seep in, it would be interesting to uncover the impact of her reign towards the organisation. This is also the year when we have another three medical officers to check and balance the leadership.
  • My championship projects. Our FMS wants something hands-on as opposed to just simple lectures. It’s a great idea that needs some serious thinking on our team’s part.
  • Mini projects. For example, setting up a counselling service for both diabetic and HIV patients. This would need participation from my Medical Assistants.
  • Time management. I am taking on the roster making on full gear this year. I am trying my best to not get distracted by wanting to pursue my studies in Psychology (Master’s level). I do not think I can juggle both responsibilities well. At the same time, I am still on my side quest of losing weight. I hope I lose just a little bit more KG for Eid.

That is to name a few. I’ve also got a few personal development projects of my own. I hope to succeed in 2026.