Jing Shan Day 1
I have been anticipating this trip to Jing Shan from the very beginning of the semester. Every time I travel to a new place, I like to see what the local life is like, and I have often wondered what kind of life people in this town lead every day.
The trip down to the town was very uneventful, but I was awed by the beauty of the rolling mountains and coast lines. There were so many temples in the towns we have driven by. Living in such a remote area doesn’t seem too bad at first glance.
Upon arrival at the public health clinic, we were able to sit in on the last two or three patients in the morning clinic. The very first thought that crossed my mind was: Oh No!! I don’t really understand Taiwanese!!! And most of the patients spoke to the doctor in the Taiwanese dialect.
However, Dr. Jen was very kind and had asked that my other classmates help translate for me as needed. Which lead to my second realization: It is about time I learned how to speak Taiwanese. My understanding of the dialect can be best described as minimal. Even though I do not plan on staying in Taiwan very long after graduating from med school, it will still be beneficial in my education, at least while I am still in this country.
The rest of our day at the public health center was fairly uneventful. Dr. Chiu, the CR, assigned us to come up with a topic for our session in health education. Our group has decided to work on hypertension. We’ve already discussed how we are going to present our material, and hopefully, we’ll be able to promote the importance of treating hypertension in a very effective manner.
I appreciate how the workers of this center have welcomed us. They have been most helpful in getting us settled. After talking to the first year resident, he told us that even though we might not fully appreciate this experience, it is still an important part of the medical education in Taiwan.
My first day in Jing Shan ended with a short run through the older part of the town, along the biking route to the beach. The seaside air was very refreshing and reminiscent of my own home. As I made my way through the town, I was able to see that the constituents of this town are mainly middle aged persons and older. My thoughts were then carried back to the patients that we had seen earlier today in the clinic. What kinds of needs do these patients have? What kinds of medical help do they seek? What conditions are more commonly seen here? How is preventive medicine practiced here, and how do the members of this community respond to any measures of health promotion?
These two weeks should be quite an interesting experience. For the first time in the last six years, I am finally in the heart of what is still quintessentially rich in Taiwanese culture. And for once, I am able to finally breathe without having a clogged nose from polluted air!
The trip down to the town was very uneventful, but I was awed by the beauty of the rolling mountains and coast lines. There were so many temples in the towns we have driven by. Living in such a remote area doesn’t seem too bad at first glance.
Upon arrival at the public health clinic, we were able to sit in on the last two or three patients in the morning clinic. The very first thought that crossed my mind was: Oh No!! I don’t really understand Taiwanese!!! And most of the patients spoke to the doctor in the Taiwanese dialect.
However, Dr. Jen was very kind and had asked that my other classmates help translate for me as needed. Which lead to my second realization: It is about time I learned how to speak Taiwanese. My understanding of the dialect can be best described as minimal. Even though I do not plan on staying in Taiwan very long after graduating from med school, it will still be beneficial in my education, at least while I am still in this country.
The rest of our day at the public health center was fairly uneventful. Dr. Chiu, the CR, assigned us to come up with a topic for our session in health education. Our group has decided to work on hypertension. We’ve already discussed how we are going to present our material, and hopefully, we’ll be able to promote the importance of treating hypertension in a very effective manner.
I appreciate how the workers of this center have welcomed us. They have been most helpful in getting us settled. After talking to the first year resident, he told us that even though we might not fully appreciate this experience, it is still an important part of the medical education in Taiwan.
My first day in Jing Shan ended with a short run through the older part of the town, along the biking route to the beach. The seaside air was very refreshing and reminiscent of my own home. As I made my way through the town, I was able to see that the constituents of this town are mainly middle aged persons and older. My thoughts were then carried back to the patients that we had seen earlier today in the clinic. What kinds of needs do these patients have? What kinds of medical help do they seek? What conditions are more commonly seen here? How is preventive medicine practiced here, and how do the members of this community respond to any measures of health promotion?
These two weeks should be quite an interesting experience. For the first time in the last six years, I am finally in the heart of what is still quintessentially rich in Taiwanese culture. And for once, I am able to finally breathe without having a clogged nose from polluted air!