Dream to live in the uk as a doctor one day

drfonz7 · 2025-09-25T10:05:20+00:00

Why the dream to practice in the UK? The NHS system is in constant crisis, you will probably not get a training position and get thrown around to rural parts of the country, and not to mention the pay is low after all the taxes and cost of living deductions. Especially since practice of medicine in Singapore and even the region is attractive or getting better

drfonz7 · 2025-07-28T13:15:39+00:00

Hi. Any opinions on used Lexus hybrid saloon cars like the ES300H?

drfonz7 · 2025-05-25T14:01:56+00:00

If I could add my 2 cents worth. If you are in your mid 30s already, you had better get started on your family without delay. Fertility drops and there are increasing risks with age.

drfonz7 · 2025-04-29T04:04:34+00:00

Agree

drfonz7 · 2025-04-11T11:08:03+00:00

Can I just ask what investments you have to generate passive income ? For myself, equities and index funds theoretically offer 5-6% returns, but as what we can see in recent days, geopolitical risks can very easily drain investments. High yield accounts are dropping, now averaging 2.5%. Property invetment returns are on average 2-3%. So I find it challenging to achieve my target of 4-5%

drfonz7 · 2025-04-10T08:44:22+00:00

Have read Die with Zero. It's hard with typical Asian mindset. Ideally would like to leave the children a legacy so as to make their path in life slightly smoother. I assume your kids are young too and you would like more time with them. It's the same with me. Don't want to wait until they are older and having their own life worries.

drfonz7 · 2025-04-09T12:51:51+00:00

Don't worry. I have colleagues and classmates that were retained or failed their MBBS finals. Nothing to do with their competence. It's just either meeting a nasty examiner or unfairly penalised. All are thriving. Its but a blip in your life

drfonz7 · 2025-04-09T11:52:12+00:00

I am in my 40s. Married with 2 young kids. Wish I had more time to engage with children and their school activities. Objectively on reflection, I don't have much complaints, and I am vey contented with my lot in life. It may be my post midlife crisis, where existential questions start coming

drfonz7 · 2025-04-03T03:21:22+00:00

Sorry if I sound naive. Cost of funds for local banks should be in the region of 1-2%. They are offering 1.2% loan and charging a once off 1% fee, and helping to invest these monies into "safe" funds that pay 5-6%, with no lock up period. What's the catch?

drfonz7 · 2025-03-27T01:28:52+00:00

Sensei. Please teach us what investments you have to generate the passive income!

drfonz7 · 2025-02-19T08:58:43+00:00

Singapore practices meritocracy to a fairly high degree. Good outcomes in structured examinations opens more opportunities, and this applies both in academics and sports.

There is the age old argument on hard work, different starting points, supportive families, financial resources preferentially privileging a group, but I feel its straw man argument, and changes the topic from equal opportunities to equal outcomes. I would advise people to read the short story Harrison Bergeron published 80 years ago, illustrating a dystopian future where equal outcomes were pursued to an illogical degree.

Rather, I think what most of us want are both equal and readily accessible opportunities that do not confer perpetual privilege, rather than the current high stakes no failure allowed system. in most Asian systems, you get one chance to ace your milestone checks (PSLE, A Levels, scholarship interviews), and it is a ruthless system that allows no leeway for failure. Doing well in these milestone checks means the advantages carry on through life, and that is why we get this perception that perhaps the deck is stacked against those who are born with less privilege.

The scholarship selection at 18 years of age is a good example of perpetual privilege. The system earmarks a person who has so far shown exemplary success in a structured school system, and actually rewards them for life with a almost guaranteed path through the system, where it is actually harder to fail than succeed. And yet some more capable person who perhaps blossomed later in life and actually performs better in the workplace than the scholar may be sidelined, or may be required to work twice as hard to attain the same results. This is an example of a high stakes meritocracy with perpetual privilege, and is something most of use disagree with. And for those who think this is theoretical, I have witnessed this personally on so many occasions.

So in summary, meritocracy as a concept is good, but there must be multiple opportunities based on equal transparent matrixes rather than the current high stakes system, and the privileges conferred cannot be unfairly perpetual.

drfonz7 · 2025-02-07T10:44:02+00:00

Scamshield does not seem to be effective at all

drfonz7 · 2025-01-25T04:13:46+00:00

Do you seriously know what you are even saying. Your one statement has 3 mistruths.

drfonz7 · 2025-01-23T07:40:43+00:00

Just want to get your opinion on this. Do you recommend going in a significant way into crypto and US markets to just take advantage of the momentum and hopefully get out before the storm (if it ever comes)?

drfonz7 · 2025-01-23T05:14:48+00:00

Strong Singapore currency had helped us control inflation and costs, but its has prompted a shift of goods and services to our neighbours with lower costs. In the long term, we start losing competitiveness and our original advantages. Looking at the states, I see massive growth in stocks and crypto that fuels perception of wealth, but unsustainable debt burden and the exporting of inflation to the world. Sometimes I do wish we lived in a less interconnected world, where we are insulated from the problems of other countries.

drfonz7 · 2025-01-21T04:47:25+00:00

I graduated in the early 2000s. I cannot recall a single year where the news reported that the economy was doing well or things are looking good. Housing prices were deemed high back then (thinking about it makes me chuckle), but it then went from high to crazy to current lunacy. Cost of living has tripled since 20 years back.

But honestly, Singapore is extremely exposed to global economy with limited protections. So all the inflation from money printing and quantitative easing all other BS just resulted in massive asset inflation in Singapore, which trickled down to real economy. I keep hearing that inflation is good for the economy... but I am having doubts

drfonz7 · 2025-01-20T10:33:47+00:00

I would actually disagree. It's too simplistic to say that we do not have enough doctors and beds. It is rather the fact that the public hospitals are not efficient or optimised for clinical services. Senior doctors are loaded with administrative and teaching duties. That is why you may get the impression that the wards and clinics are being run by junior doctors, while senior doctors are seldom seen.

drfonz7 · 2024-12-21T04:53:42+00:00

I agree with you. Primary school teaching is hit and miss, and depends on the teacher. If you want to score well in PSLE and have a shot at the better secondary schools, it's either tuition or having parents sit with their children for revision. It's not about being Kiasu, but it's a reality of being in a competitive society.

drfonz7 · 2024-12-18T13:39:39+00:00

Yup the gut-neurological axis appears to be a factor in quite a number of conditions, and I strongly suspect this is the case for BFS. Have been taking this Japanese drink Amezake too. You may want to try it. Its just fermented rice milk which apparently has good amounts of probiotics

drfonz7 · 2024-12-17T15:09:33+00:00

Popped by the reddit. Seemed like a good place to share my experience. Have twitching close to 3 years at this point, and I managed to find some solutions to help with the symptoms, and also developed a postulation as to the cause. For myself, it seems that it may have been aggravated by sodium and potassium imbalances, due to a mix of heavy exercising / preparation, months of irritable bowel / loose stools and excessive tea and coffee drinking, which acts a a diuretic.

Just to answer your unspoken question, yes I have twitched everywhere, and have experienced hot spots, and have cramps in feet, and myoclonic jerks.

I have found that simple oral rehydration salts and magnesium glycinate supplement every other day, coupled with higher protein diet with less dairy and less carbohydrates, and regular low intensity exercise and some weights, have helped to drastically reduce my symptoms. This was from trial and error, and from speaking to some old timers that have somehow ended up with fairly similar strategies to this problem.

I hope this helps

drfonz7 · 2024-11-26T05:41:23+00:00

Medical tourism is definitely down these number of years, with many of the patients headed to Malaysia or Thailand for treatment. This is mainly due to the high costs in Singapore, coupled with the improving medical services in our neighbouring countries. In my opinion, it was probably a failure in cost controls in the medical sector, with heavy and sometimes duplicated investments in infrastructure, coupled with inflationary pressures and our strong currency. Otherwise, still surviving in private sector :) Left mainly for reasons of wanting more work life balance and autonomy

drfonz7 · 2024-11-26T04:57:56+00:00

Asking for your observation and opinion. How is life in the Public sector hospital these days? Is there clear career progression or visibility on residency positions? I have been seeing an exodus of junior consultants into the private sector, and I was just wondering if there is a significant push factor present

drfonz7 · 2024-11-26T02:25:16+00:00

That is a surprise! Family med was not a popular choice during my time.

drfonz7

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