Once upon a time there was only one Medteam in Cairo

Today I accompanied (supposedly as a facilitator) Syaimaa' presenting Emergency Management for Medteam Azhar's Junior SGD. We arrived at Hadiqah Dawli around 5 just in time to observe the last part of the first slot; First Aid Revision by a friend from our batch. It had been a long time since I met these people but if I remember correctly he once introduced himself as Shahril. He also set up the laptop when I presented BSS for dummies.

I stood watching but the presenter kept looking at me rather sheepishly as he explained how to manage soft tissue injury. I think I made him uncomfortable, so I sat down on the grass and listened to him like everyone else.

They were moving on to the practical part. The PIC came and briefed Syaimaa' and I on her slot up next. The presenter and two other guys came and grinned at us.

"Hana, if we messed up with the triangular bandage let us know. We know nothing."

"Yeah we're only good at wrapping bandage and Transportation."

I grinned back. They went to the front and started the practical session. I turned to a laughing Syaimaa'.

"What's that all about? Why did they say that to me?"

"You presented to them the practical part of First Aid last year or so, remember? I gave the earlier management part. You conducted the practical session."

"Oooooh. Yes I remember." Lulz, so they considered me their teacher or something? That time I was filling in last minute for Kak Ulya. "What are their names again?"

"The presenter is Shahril. The one with sweater is Akram. I don't know the third."

"It's Firdaus." I know him, he appeared to me as the lesser mangkuk among the mangkuks in Azhar, hahaha. (In case you couldn't tell, my tone is affectionate.)

So those cool people are still around. And we were all equals, so why did they ask for a presenter from another university with a 75-minute-one-way travel time? Even Ain Shams called for me and another of our Cairo colleague for two separate sessions last week.

We missed Dr. Salah Shaheen's second half of today's lecture to make it for the SGD, but seeing those people again was fun. Even got a moment to boss Saeed around, oh man I missed Jabatan Liputan.

I'd do it again. Maybe without the skipping-half-a-class part.

Professional courtesy

Prioritize your detailing.
You don't have to tell everything.
Highlight.
Don't cram too much info.
At the end of the day, knowledge presented isn't going to stick much, so stress properly on the take-home message.
Professional courtesy, near midnight on the 25th

Last year I put together the presentation for Medical Ethics and presented it twice to our beloved comrades. This year, despite the supposedly hereditary nature of presenter appointment, they ask me again to deliver it to our younger colleagues.

The presentation is scheduled the day after tomorrow. With such an impressive deadline, even I as the original presenter feel pissed. Whoever else that is going to present in my stead is bound to consult me anyway, so might as well save myself the trouble of answering avoidable phone calls.

As it is with our daily muhasabah, presenting a knowledge also dictates revising and updating. I need to revise whether last year's ILO still stands or is it too much and too heavy for mere medical students. I need to update with the sources whether the information I put together is still valid this time around.

And as superficial as it sounds, I still have myself to take care of. I have classes to attend, places to go and plans to entertain. I have my study to review. And I need my sleep otherwise I suffer the effect of poor growth hormone secretion and risk homicidal ideation. Don't mess with final year students dammit.

This is why it is unacceptable to assign someone a 2-days notice assignment.

You're lucky I am bad at saying no and I have no class at that particular showtime. I'm lucky I have a blog to vent and people helping me brainstorm via 30-minute midnight phone call. (I owe you call credit. Thanks bro.)