More comments on Doctors

After reading Lam's not very inspiring post on doctors in Singapore, I wanna add some comments about my encounter with the doctors here as well.

I've been sick for 7 days now, got a very bad sore throat, cough, blocked nose (due to over production of phlegm?) and I think I've just lost my voice... I went to see the doctor yesterday, complaining the above. The doctor's response goes something like this, "6 days of flu isnt very long, flus usually takes 2 weeks to recover, there isnt any secondary bacterial infection, so you don't need antibiotics, just go to the pharmacy and buy flu tablets, you should be fine." She then asked if I could take paracetemol and I said I'll try to avoid taking it and again her response was "paracetemol is a harmless drug, in fact its good to take paracetemol if you're sick"

Imagine the above quotes in a nonchalant manner, how I miss my family doctor back home. If I've gone to see him after 7 days of flu, I'm pretty sure he'll be more sympathetic about it compared to the doctor I've seen here. Sure, they might tell me the same thing, but the same words spoken in a different tone meant a world of difference, don't you think?

Now I understand why doctors & health professionals need to take "communication" lessons, obviously the "communication" lessons here aren't very helpful at all. I promise I'll pay more attention in class next semester during my "communication" lessons. I don't wanna be one of those unsympathetic, unfeeling health workers out there!