Sometimes you might encounter a posting you don’t enjoy. In fact, many HOs, even the most hardworking or ‘capable’ ones, struggle in certain departments. It might be due to long hours, steep learning curves, unsupportive colleagues, or simply because the specialty doesn’t align with your interests. Regardless, every posting must be completed — so the real question is: how to cope and survive it without burning out?

Shift the mindset: from “endurance” to “learning”

Instead of counting down days, try reframing the posting as an opportunity to gain skills that may not seem valuable now but will matter later, especially when you become a Medical Officer (MO).

Ask yourself: “What can I pick up here that will be useful for me as an MO?” Even if you dislike the environment, the skills and resilience you build will follow you throughout your career.

Even if you dislike the environment, the skills and resilience you build will follow you throughout your career.

Build small support systems

Surviving a tough posting is much easier with allies.

• Connect with fellow HOs —cover each other when possible.
• Identify approachable MOs or specialists who are willing to teach.
• Keep in touch with friends or family outside the hospital for emotional balance.

A strong support system prevents you from feeling isolated.

Take care of your basics

When the workload feels overwhelming, neglecting yourself makes it worse.

• Sleep whenever you can — even a short nap helps if you are too tired. Click here for the sharing related to sleep & post-call fatigue.
• Eat proper meals — don’t rely solely on caffeine and snacks.
• Exercise lightly — even 10 minutes of stretching or a short walk helps release stress.
  Your body is your strongest asset during HOship — don’t burn it out too early.

Separate work from self-worth

Some postings come with harsh words, constant scolding, or unrealistic demands. It’s easy to internalize this and feel like you’re not good enough. Learn from feedback, but don’t let toxic comments define you.

Create small wins

Instead of waiting for the posting to end, look for daily victories:

• A patient you managed well.
• A skill you performed better than yesterday.
• A day you went home earlier than expected.
  Celebrating small wins gives you momentum to keep going.

Keep the bigger picture in mind

HOship is temporary. Six postings may feel long, but once you’ve completed them, you’ll never have to go back. Remind yourself: this is just a phase. Every day survived is one day closer to finishing.

Not every posting will suit your personality or future goals. But each one shapes you into a more capable, resilient doctor. Instead of seeing the “difficult posting” as wasted time, treat it as training for grit, adaptability, and survival — qualities every good doctor needs.

If you’re struggling, know this: you’re not alone, and it will get better.

Life as a doctor, or even just as a human being, is never about instant perfection. It’s about progress. If we make it our goal to be just a little better than who we were yesterday, we will eventually look back and see how far we’ve come.

Growth comes in small steps

Becoming better doesn’t mean giant leaps every day. It often means small, consistent steps. For example:

• Yesterday, you might have missed an important detail during ward round. Today, you make the effort to double-check your notes and present more confidently.
• Yesterday, you might have been unsure about interpreting an ECG. Today, you take time review and learn from your seniors.
• Yesterday, you struggled to take blood after two attempts. Today, you adjust your technique, stay calmer, and manage to get it on the first try.
• Yesterday, you had difficulty inserting a branula and needed help from a colleague. Today, you prepare better, take your time, and succeed independently
• Yesterday, you filled up the imaging request form but missed some clinical details. Today, you include a clearer history and justification, making it easier for radiology to accept your request.
• Yesterday, you felt nervous when referring a case and struggled to give a clear summary. Today, you organize your thoughts, present the case systematically, and the referral goes much smoother.

These small changes may not seem dramatic in the moment, but over weeks and months, they build into noticeable growth.

When we view every day as a learning day, we stop being afraid of imperfection. Instead, we start valuing progress.

It’s easy to compare ourselves with peers — who is faster, smarter, or more confident. But the real competition is not with others; it’s with ourselves. Ask: Am I better today than I was yesterday? If the answer is yes, even in the smallest way, then you are moving in the right direction.

Becoming better than yesterday doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one choice, one action, one lesson at a time. Every day we get a chance to improve — whether in knowledge, skills, or attitude. So take each day as an opportunity. Make the effort to grow, even just a little. Because if you learn something new every day, you will always be moving forward.

Starting life as a junior doctor is both exciting and overwhelming. The transition from medical school to housemanship or MOship is a big leap. Beyond medical knowledge, what truly shapes our growth — and how others perceive us — is our attitude.

Be humble

No matter how well you did in medical school, housemanship is a different ballgame. Be willing to learn, ask questions, and accept feedback — even if it feels uncomfortable at times. Humility allows you to grow faster and gain the respect of your seniors and colleagues.

Be responsible and reliable

Patients’ lives depend on us. As junior doctors, it’s crucial to take responsibility for your tasks — from updating case notes to following up on laboratory results. If you’re unsure, seek help early. Reliability builds trust, not just with your team but also with patients.

Be punctual

Time is important in medicine — not just for you, but for your whole team and your patients. Being punctual shows respect for others and responsibility for your role. Arriving on time for ward rounds, clinics, or on-call handovers allows work to run smoothly and prevents unnecessary delays in patient care

Respect and empathy for everyone

Good attitude isn’t only about how you treat seniors, but also how you treat nurses, allied health staff, cleaners, and patients’ families. Respect is universal — and empathy reminds us that medicine is not only science, but also humanity.

Be adaptable and willing to grow

You’ll rotate through multiple departments, sometimes far from your comfort zone, or sometimes being rotated to the department(s) that you are not interested at all. Instead of resisting, embrace the change. Every posting, every environment, teaches you something different — from clinical skills to teamwork and resilience.

With the right attitude — humble, responsible, positive, respectful, and adaptable — you will not only survive, but also grow into the kind of doctors that patients trust and colleagues respect.

We often look at other paths and wonder if they’re better than where we stand today. Private practice, overseas opportunities, or even exploring a field outside medicine — all of these can look like “greener pastures” when our current situation feels dry and exhausting. But here’s the truth: the grass is rarely greener on the other side. It only looks greener because we are standing at a distance. Once we step closer, we see that it has its own weeds, its own dry patches, and its own struggles.

The illusion of “better elsewhere”

It’s easy to think going for private practice will bring instant happiness, moving overseas will guarantee a better lifestyle, or switching to a different industry will be a perfect escape. Yet every path comes with its own challenges — workload, expectations, uncertainties, and sacrifices. What seems easier from afar is often just different, not necessarily better. The allure of “greener pastures” can be powerful. But before uprooting everything, it’s worth asking: Have I truly nurtured the soil I’m standing on?

Where the grass truly becomes greener?

The reality is this: the grass is always greener where you choose to water it. When you invest in your current situation — learning, adapting, building relationships, and making the best out of what you have — that’s when things start to bloom. If you take the time to grow despite in a difficult situation, the opportunities for progress will eventually reveal themselves. Developing resilience and adaptability, which will serve you well no matter where you go later.

Watering your own grass and your own growth

If you water your own grass with effort, patience, and consistency, you may find that your patch of ground — no matter how ordinary it seemed at first — becomes greener than you ever imagined. Remember to invest in self-growth. Take courses, seek mentorship, initiate projects that excite you.

Before looking at the other side and wishing for what it seems to offer, ask yourself: Am I watering the grass where I am now?

The truth is, private practice, overseas jobs, or even alternative careers might or might not suit you — but they all come with their own struggles. What matters most is how much effort you put into the ground beneath your feet. Because in the end, the grass is not greener on the other side. It’s greener where you choose to water it.

The transition from House Officer to floating Medical Officer

After completing housemanship, most of us will step into the role of floating Medical Officers — often within the same hospital where we trained. The environment feels familiar, the colleagues are known, and the system is predictable. It is a safe place to begin, and in many ways, a comforting one.

One day, the posting letter comes. Suddenly, we are placed far away from our hometown, family, and the place we once called our training ground. The comfort of the familiar is replaced by the discomfort of distance. Often, we don’t get to decide where we work. Instead, we follow the postings assigned to us and move wherever we are needed. It feels daunting, even unfair at times — why am I the one being posted so far away?

The discomfort of distance

Being placed far from home brings its own struggles. Everything feels heavier without family nearby. Festive seasons carry a quiet loneliness. Even small things — favorite food stalls, familiar roads, childhood friends — suddenly become distant memories.

The hidden opportunities

Yet, behind the discomfort lies opportunity. A new hospital means new working environment, new colleagues, and learning practices that suit the local setting. Each environment exposes us to different patient demographics, healthcare challenges, and systems of work. The learning curve is steep when posted to a non-specialist district hospital. I found myself re-learning important basics from different departments — skills and knowledge we had long left behind during Housemanship. It was a necessary step, not only to adapt well, but also to become as competent as possible in serving a district hospital. I believe, these broaden our skills, sharpen our adaptability, and strengthen our confidence.

And perhaps most importantly: we might discover our true interest, and even hidden talents.

During Housemanship, life was too hectic, too rushed. We were focused only on surviving the day and completing tasks. But as young MOs in a new place, we now have some breathing space to observe, explore, and ask ourselves: Which field excites me? What am I naturally good at? Where do I feel most alive?

The interests and talents we uncover now will guide our future decisions — whether it is entering a master’s program, becoming a specialist, or pursuing as a subject matter expert in the field we love.

Discovering the beauty of people

Another hidden blessing of being placed far away is discovering the kindness of strangers. When I worked in a different place, I was touched by how the staff treated me like family. They were always friendly, never made me feel like an outsider, often shared food, and even celebrated my departure when I had to leave.

Experiences like these remind us that although we may be far from home, we are never truly alone. There are good people everywhere — waiting to connect, support, and journey with us.

Growth beyond comfort

Staying forever in one place may feel safe, but it can also keep us stagnant. Growth comes from movement, exploration, and facing the unknown. Being placed far from home may seem like a setback at first, but in reality, it is a gift — a push towards growth we might never choose for ourselves. It is definitely not punishment, but preparation for us to progress further.

So if you find yourself far from your comfort zone, don’t despair. Embrace it as an opportunity — to grow, to discover your interests, and to shape your future. You are still young, and this could be the turning point that eventually leads you to the field you love, the expertise you build, and the career you are meant to have.

When you think you’re unfortunate, you may be more fortunate than you realize

It is natural for us to sometimes feel weighed down by life’s struggles. We may look at our challenges—be it financial burdens, health concerns, family conflicts, or career setbacks—and think, “Why is life so unfair to me?” In those moments, it is easy to label ourselves as unfortunate.

But pause for a while. Step back, and you may realize: even in hardship, you are still more fortunate than many others.

The hidden perspective

Someone who worries about bills may still have a roof over their head, while countless others sleep without shelter. A person feeling exhausted from work has, at the very least, a job—something many are still praying for. Even those who complain about their health may still be able to walk, speak, or see, while others struggle daily with permanent disabilities.

This is not to dismiss your struggles, but to remind you that fortune is not only measured by what you lack—it is also found in what you already have.

Gratitude as strength

This isn’t about guilt-tripping ourselves into feeling better. Pain is valid. Struggles are real. But gratitude offers a lens—not to erase hardship, but to soften its edges. It reminds us that even in darkness, there are flickers of light. Think of someone who has lost everything in a natural disaster. Or a child growing up without access to clean water. Or a refugee fleeing violence with no certainty of tomorrow. These are not abstract examples—they are real lives unfolding right now. And yet, many of these individuals still find moments of joy, resilience, and hope.

Everyone has their own cross

No life is free of difficulty. What looks like a “perfect life” from afar often hides silent battles. When you compare your life to others, you may see only what you don’t have, not what they are enduring behind closed doors. Your challenges may feel heavy, but they could be lighter compared to the unseen burdens of someone else.

Choosing to see fortune

Being “fortunate” is not only about wealth, success, or comfort. Sometimes, it is as simple as being alive, having loved ones who care, or the ability to hope. By choosing to recognize this, you turn feelings of misfortune into opportunities for growth, empathy, and resilience.

A gentle reminder

So, the next time you feel the weight of misfortune, take a moment to pause. Look around you and acknowledge the silent blessings that form the foundation of your life. The roof, the food, the safety, the health—these are not small things. They are the bedrock of a fortunate existence. Recognizing this doesn’t diminish your struggles, but it does place them in a proper perspective, allowing for a deeper sense of gratitude and resilience.

“You might think it’s normal to feel tired all the time or to have trouble falling asleep. But when these issues continue, they might be signs of a deeper problem and can then spill over into your personal life. Over time, this can affect your relationships, hobbies, and even overall happiness.” (quoted from calm.com)

General advice

• Before night shift, take a nap for around 90 minutes
• During night shift, take naps 15 – 20 minutes to help you to boost alertness and help to stay awake
  (naps longer than 20 minutes may make you more likely to experience sleep inertia, i.e., a period of grogginess, where alertness and performance are impaired)
• After night shift ends, go home quickly and aim to sleep for 3 – 5 hours
• Wake up by late afternoon / evening around 5 – 7 pm
  • Avoid sleeping all the way to midnight as this delays recovery and disturbs circadian rhythm, causing prolonged fatigue.
  • Avoid long nap (i.e., sleeping till 4 – 6 hours before your main sleep) as they may make it more difficult to fall asleep.
• Evening: light dinner and light activities
• Night: return to bed at a normal bedtime (10–11 pm) to reset circadian rhythm quickly

Short term benefits: Reduces fatigue, improves alertness for next working days, prevents microsleeps.

Long term benefits: Avoids circadian drift, protects mental health, lowers cumulative fatigue across weeks.

Related articles

1. https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/healthy-sleep-practices-for-shift-workers?
2. https://www.calm.com/blog/night-shift-sleep
3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12146-shift-work-sleep-disorder