On 1 October 2023, a medical outreach service was initiated and organised by the Academy for Silent Mentor (AFSM) in collaboration with IMU. The event saw the involvement of one IMU Chinese Medicine lecturer and four IMU Chinese Medicine students. We departed from the IMU Bukit Jalil Campus at 6 am in the morning to SJK (C) Kemayan (金马杨国民型华文小学校) at Kemayan, Pahang.
Chiu Jen Yann (back row, first from the right), with the Chinese Medicine team from IMU.
During the medical outreach, AFSM provided a variety of general health examinations, including upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (OGDS), glucose or cholesterol level testing, BMI measurements, and ear, nose, and throat screenings as well as blood donation. Patients were then directed to the IMU Chinese Medicine section for any additional treatment that might be necessary after the health screening.
My interest in joining the medical outreach programme and charity clinics was initially sparked when I learnt more about the Silent Mentor Programme while I was studying at an international school in Taiwan four years ago. This isn’t my first time participating in a medical outreach service since joining the AFSM Medical Student Council. My first medical outreach participation was at Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen Temple on 4 May 2023.
What made my participation unique this time was Dr Wong Zhi Hang, the Head of the IMU Chinese Medicine Department, providing us with the valuable opportunity to conduct our own consultations. I had the chance to provide Chinese Medicine services, such as consultation, tongue and pulse diagnosis, acupuncture, herbal medications, and some dietary and lifestyle advice. These experiences motivated me to gain more practical clinical experiences, which are crucial for my future as a healthcare professional.
What struck me the most during this medical outreach was my encounter with a 25-year-old male patient who had been suffering from headaches in the occipital and temporal regions for a year. This experience was both unique and memorable because he nearly fainted, and there was a risk of him slipping into a coma if we didn’t act swiftly and correctly.
We observed that his nervousness had caused him to develop a pale complexion and excessive sweating, especially on his face and back, shortly after we inserted the needles. In this critical situation, the procedures we had learned from our lecturers during previous semesters’ lectures and Clinical Skills Development (CSD) sessions played a pivotal role in saving his life. This event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of the adage, ‘Learn as if you were to live forever.'”
I always believe that if I’m determined to learn anything, nothing can stop me. I always remind myself that I must build up a solid foundation not only through the perspectives of Chinese Medicine, but also Western Medicine. This is also the main point Dr Wong Zhi Hang, Head of the IMU Chinese Medicine Department, has always been emphasising.
I always believe in learning anything that I don’t know to help myself grow along my journey as a future competent healthcare provider.
Written by Chiu Jen Yann (CM1/21), an IMU Year 3 Chinese Medicine Student and President of the Chinese Medicine Club 2023-24.
