Overseas SG Citizen: I'm Back for NS - True Singaporean Son
-
Hi, S.tan18
My friend who was a medic trainee at nee soon camp told me they had to bring in goats from hay dairies and pigs from farms so that the instructor can shoot em live, and allow the MO cadets to stop the bleeding. I believed its to simulate battle wounds where the bullet meets the meat.
He so happens to be the guy cleaning up the "mess" after the MO cadets are done.
Not a very happy medic as you can guess =)
I'm pretty sure MOCC is a stay in course at nee soon camp, with all the regimentation and stuff expected of you since you're considered trainee. I've seen them marching through the camp singing songs from OCS
But like what snt86 had mentioned, being qualified medical practitioners, you can expect pretty decent treatment. Unlike the poor guys at pulau tekong where the unknown fate awaits them.
As for the daily routine of an MO, its mostly office hours. Unless you're unlucky enough to be posted to a 24hr medical centre, e.g, nee soon camp, pulau tekong, pasir labar camp, paya lebar airbase, 125 squadron (Sembawang AB) I know there is a SAR (search and rescue) team on 24hr standby, but i'm not sure if NSF MO's get posted there. Basically at 24hr medical centres, MOs have graveyard shifts.
I was from chong pang camp (further up sembawang rd from nee soon camp) and I know the MO there had a really good life for an NSF. The medical centre at CPC is very small, there is only room for 1 MO, and since he was the only ranking medical staff in the entire camp, he was pretty free from the usual chain of command.
Driving to work at around 8.30am, he would get breakfast at the mess which is 10m away from the Medical Centre. Work starts at around 9am where report sick cases are prioritised according to urgency (Highest no. of cases on monday, lowest being on friday. I think you know why). Lunch timings are normally OTOT (own time own target).
In the afternoon, the MO will normally attend to those with medical appointments i.e hospital referrals, FFI (Fit For Instructions) for overseas deployment, BMT recourse, ORD (your big day!!), etc. Occasionally attending to some bigots (Colonels, Brigadier Generals) from HQ.
*Take note, Its been known that when a MO takes quite awhile to attend to these special class of "patients", a complaint from your "upstairs" normally follows for wasting their "precious" time. Tread carefully =)
Work ends at around 5 to 5 plus. And you can spend the evening with your love ones while the rest of the camp stays in. = )
Thats mostly what I know about MOs from my camp, hope it helps.
-
Don© Great information you have there!
-
Originally posted by S.tan18:
I'm noticing some differing information already - so is the MOCC a stay in or a 8-5 course? And is life as an MO after MOCC "easy" or "shit" (as 2 people have mentioned :P).
to dracula: I didn't even do A levels in singapore...left before I was 16 to do high school in australia (hence could defer NS). So no, I didn't try to apply for a local university. In any case, at 16 when I'm itching to get away from home, and my parents offer me the chance to pursue studies at what seems to be an awesome place, why not just take it? At least that's how I felt :)
Criteria for acceptance differs on which uni you're at...best to look at the course guides available online. Fees also differ based on whether you are overseas student, local full fee, or local HECS (govt subsidised)...
MOCC is 5.5 days workweek lecture+practical conversion course at nee soon camp.
When people say stay in, it usually means u stay in from Monday morning to Saturday morning. From morning after breakfast, u attend lessons, have lunch break, then lessons in the afternoon, dinner. After dinner, its usually ur own free personal time in the bunk.
On Saturday, u get to book out of camp, enjoy the weekends, then Monday morning book in again. -
if you are posted to a camp with a non-24hr medical centre, would means that you have to be on-call at the nearest 24hr medical centre. so if you drive, still not too bad, if you don't drive, and ur camp is located in the middle of no where, say hi to cab booking.
as i said life is shit for a MO if you decide that you want to be a proper Doctor and all, cause most of your staff really don't give a crap (perimeters are pepentually 36.8, pulse rate 70, breathing rate 15, BP is ALWAYS 110/70). the problem is if you are willing to be suck into the don't give a crapness too or if you want to do something about it, which usually means the shit.
and goodness! i thought the goat killing craps is bulls they use to scare us at SMTI
-
Originally posted by Rednano:
.
On Saturday, u get to book out of camp, enjoy the weekends, then Monday morning book in again.MOCC change to friday night book out quite a while ago le.