[Provisionally Registered Pharmacist] - Batu Pahat

Hellooo! Sunshiniesss!!

I'm back home again after 4 days!! Last night I spent about 3 hours preparing for the assessment on counselling skills for patients on inhalers, insulin pens, warfarin usage etc. until about 12am midnight. Suddenly boyfie texted me on the news article which announced 26th June 2014 as a public holiday after Johor Darul Takzim FC (JDT) were crowned 2014 Malaysia Super League Champions. I was like Hoorayy!! Is tomorrow really a public holiday? I was so excited to come home!! Even though it was announced in the midnight and we couldn't be sure of it but I was still super excited and I woke up twice at 3am and 4am just to see if it is morning already so I can be home!

**Haha, YEAH! I'm --THAT-- HOMESICK**!

I was wondering when will we receive the letter from SPA & KKM to inform us to report duty in respective hospital. After 7 months, we finally know the answer now. I had my interview in Putrajaya Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam during end of 2013, I think it was around September/October. Final exam was in November. I received the first letter which is the Surat Lantikan (from SPA) and Sijil Pendaftaran Bersyarat (from Pharmacy Board) as Provisionally Registered Pharmacist (PRP) in February and subsequently received the second letter from Kementerian Kesihatan (MOH) to go for medical check up in April and lastly received letter from Kementerian Kesihatan to report duty on June at MOH of Johor State somewhere in the middle of May. There are 4 letters which PRP would need to receive before report duty at hospital.

1. First letter
a. Surat Lantikan from Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam
b. Sijil Pendaftaran Bersyarat from Lembaga Farmasi (Pharmacy Board)

2. Second letter
a. Surat Setuju Terima Perlantikan
b. Surat Akuan Sumpah - Do the sumpah at your local court/Mahkamah
c. Surat Aku Janji (Contoh) - The hospital will give the original copy upon reporting duty at hospital
d. Borang Pemeriksaan Doktor untuk Perlantikan ke Perkhidmatan Kerajaan - Bring this letter to go for medical check up at any Klinik Kesihatan (**go early in the morning)

3. Third letter
a. Surat Penempatan - which will inform which state of Malaysia you have been allocated

I reported duty at Ministry of Health for Johor state with another two friends on the 16th June 2014.

4. Fourth letter
a. When you report at the MOH of the state, the officer will issue another letter to inform you which hospital that you have been allocated

Luckily all of us have been posted to the same place, at least now we can have lunch together and learn together. Nevertheless, we have made a lot of new friends over here in the hospital as well.

I've started the PRP program for 2 weeks already. Things were in a total mess initially because we were worrying about accommodation, trying to adapt to the new environment, brushing up our clinical knowledge etc. I was praying really hard to be posted in Hospital Sultanah Aminah as it is the nearest training hospital to my house. Unfortunately, there was no vacancy for PRP post in the hospital. Hence, ended up three of us all being posted to Hospital Batu Pahat! I was totally unprepared to go to Batu Pahat, but I know life would be more excited and fun once you are willing to step out of your comfort zone. Thank God Batu Pahat is just 1.5 hours away from my house. I'm still able to come home often. God is in control ^_^

We reported at Ministry of Health of Johor State in the morning at 9am, subsequently reported to Pharmacy Department of the Johor State before heading to Hospital Batu Pahat. We have to report to the hospital within the same day and would need to start work on the second day. It was a super tiring day just travelling up and down! My first impression on Batu Pahat was quite good actually. Away from all the hassle in the city, Batu Pahat is a small town located approximately 88km away from Johor Bahru in the state of Johor. The first thing that caught my attention were hills, hills and hills around the hospital. The weather was so good, the sky was blue and there are birds churping around even at 4pm (I think I usually only hear birds singing in the morning not in the hot afternoon?) We reached the hospital about 3pm in the afternoon and reported in the administration office, then filled up tonnes of forms for about 2 hours.

I came back home that day to pack my stuff to BP as I did not prepared anything beforehand.

Lesson of the day: Always prepare yourself earlier while you still have time. Don't wait till last minute. ^_^

Till then.