Pretty people and a half-girl

The female mushrif

On the way to the ward Amirul said the guys went to see classic Japanese drum at the Opera House the night before. I stomped my feet why didn't they invited me along.

"Takkan la semua lelaki tetiba kau sorang perempuan."

"Takpe!" I pumped my fist. "Aku boleh jadi mushrif korang!"

And then I cowered behind Umair to avoid his hand out to smack my head.

The beautiful resident

First stop was Dept 23. Peeked for a resident and a doctor with a beautiful smile smiled at us.

"Hi we're sixth year students. May we clerk cases tonight?"

"Yes, but not the CCU."

"Of course. I meant the ward. Do you have valvular disease cases?"

"Yes, come with me."

And we tagged along to the female ward. She chatted with the patients, the makcik2 all salamed with her and that ceaseless lovely smile. I picked out her name was Dr. Salma.

She approached this one tired looking lady with abdominal distension but she still had a smile on her face. The resident asked for permission for us to examine her and presented her case to us.

The patient is diagnosed 10 years ago with mild mitral stenosis during her first pregnancy. Did baloon dilatation 3 years later and went against the advice to perform a valve replacement. Now presenting 36 weeks pregnant with severe MS and heart failure NYHA class 4. Waiting for 37 weeks for her delivery before performing a mitral replacement.

Dr. Salma located the apex for us and let us auscultate the clear mid diastolic rumbling murmur. God it was a good murmur. I smiled happily at the clear sound before feeling bad for the patient.

We left the department with a new resolve. "Kena jadi doktor yang baik dan cantik dan sentiasa senyum macam Dr. Salma."

The bespectacled resident

We went to Dept 24 afterwards and it was Umair's turn to approach the resident. He was sitting behind the table in the office wearing navy scrubs and half-framed spec. I came up to Umair just as she asked whether the department had any valvular cases.

He told us a brief description of this one patient, his name, age, physical description. "I think he has both aortic and mitral. He's in the room opposite this room."

Umair thanked him and asked for his name. He grinned and said, "Again?"

Umair was perplexed while I had an epiphany.

"Dr. Ashraf!" I grinned in triumph. He laughed and nodded. "You didn't wear spectacles that night, that's why we didn't recognize you!"

"Yes yes I didn't. Contacts," he grinned.

We came here two nights ago and clerked a heart failure patient scheduled for an operation the day after. Usually we come and ask the resident what case they have, but that night we saw the patient and decided on him because he was warm and welcomed us to the department. Turned out he was pseudocooperative with us. That night was rather unproductive and as we were discussing the conclusion and how to better ourselves next time, we didn't notice the group of staff nearby.

The one standing with a cup of hot tea in his hand asked us who we are and what were we doing in the department. We answered him.

"Next time, do ask the resident what case you need. There is no use if you auscultate a CABG, what are you going to get?"

I nodded at his bullseye shot. We went against our norm that night, we were at fault. He was wearing a striped shirt with rolled up sleeve and dark jeans. He looked like a cross between Dr. Omar Barada the Ophthal hotstuff and Dr. Abo Bakr the Ortho Don. If I met him during office hour, I'd guess him as an assistant lecturer because of his age.

"What is your name, doctor?" Umair asked.

"My name? My name is Dr. Ashraf. I'm a resident in this department." And he resumed holding up a chest xray to the light with his right hand holding his cup of tea.

Well, he looked better without his specs. Though I would like to suggest he switch to a trendier full-rimmed nerd specs. I bet people will fall right and left (but I don't mean patients crashing, of course hahah.)

When we called it a night, Amirul told me to bid the resident for us. So in I went. He was fiddling with his phone.

"Dr. Ashraf. We're leaving. Thank you, have a good night."

"Merci."

We walked out. And then, "Argh lupa. Next time kena suruh dia kirim salam ke Dr. Ayman Gado."