2 Months of Pediatrics

When deciding where I would like to do my electives, I filled in pediatrics in MacKay Memorial Hospital without a second thought. As our school has no student exchange agreement with National Taiwan University Hospital, my first choice, I'd have to settle with MMH.
The kick here is that my electives starts right after pediatrics in our own hospital. This means 2 continuous months of pediatrics. Well, at least I'll figure out if I really like pediatrics, I thought.
Add in the summer of pediatrics in NewYork Presbyterian, and I would have done 5 months of pediatrics in total out of my 3 years clerkship and internship.
And how am I liking it so far? I'd say not too badly. At least I don't detest it like surgery or fell drowned like internal medicine. I particularly enjoy performing nasal swabs - watching my subject scream in agony while I penetrate their nostrils with a cotton swab. It makes you feel omnipotent - an ability to torture with a mere Q-tip.

Anyway, a change of environment might be good as I'm starting to feel workplace fatigue already. This doesn't seem fair as my classmates in internal medicine and surgery work at least ten times harder and doesn't have afternoon tea sessions or naps like I do currently. I was told to shut up and listen to how they work 36 hours nonstop when I complain of admitting 5 patients on a Saturday (they did 15 on Sunday, bravo!)
As we slowly adapt to intern life, appreciating even the littlest comforts like sugar sachets and tea bags (caffeine!), I am happy I found my calling in pediatrics. Well, I like doing nasal swabs, it makes me feel like Voldemort. The funny faces and high-fives of children can still fuel my passion for the endless paperwork and "responsibilities" of being an intern.