It's been well over a year of battling Covid-19 and as we combat the 4th wave of disease in Sri Lanka, our healthcare systems are officially overwhelmed. In an effort to ensure that all Covid-19 patients in Sri Lanka get access to healthcare despite the large number of positive patients, there is now a home … Continue reading Covid-19 Home Care in Sri Lanka – What you need to know
Dr Madushika Rajapakse is a medical graduate of Manipal College of Medical Sciences in Nepal and did her internship at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. She recently migrated to the United Kingdom after completing part 1 & 2 of the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test) and wrote this article to educate other doctors like … Continue reading Navigating the PLAB exams – by Dr. Madushika Rajapakse
For years (and years), I've been suffering from severe tooth/jaw pain which seems to come on when I get stressed out and unfortunately almost always coinciding with my exams! So throughout medical school and thereafter, it was expected that every time I was even mildly stressed, I would have an annoying and irritating gnawing pain … Continue reading The Wisdom tooth – keep or remove?
Every year in Sri Lanka at least two new batches of trembling medical students nervously enter the next phase of their medical training - internship! Like clockwork, a month or two before each batch gets their appointment letters, I receive messages asking for advice and tips on surviving the dreaded internship. Its' not that internship … Continue reading Passing on the baton 2020
The last couple of months has been information overload when it comes to COVID-19. The disease has caused rampage globally due to its' highly contagious nature, affecting so many and killing thousands. With this mass information however, unfortunately also comes a whole load of misinformation. Fake videos, false news alerts, forwarded WhatsApp messages and a … Continue reading COVID-19 FAQs (29.03.2020)
We've all had chest radiographs taken and we prescribe chest x-rays all the time, but do you know the basics of what you should be looking for? Chest radiographs are highly useful investigation tools which contain a vast amount of detail. Over the years, I've found it useful to use a systematic way to read … Continue reading Easy Peasy Chest X rays
Sodium is a very important electrolyte to be monitored and can easily get altered for numerous reasons. The normal sodium level is between 135 and 145 mmol/L. Less than 135 mol/L is classified as hyponatraemia. Mild hyponatraemia is 130 - 134 mmol/L, moderate between 120-129 and severe <120 mmol/L. Working with so many nephrology patients … Continue reading Just add some salt on it!
It's been about 6 months since I permanently joined the private healthcare sector as a medical officer (a.k.a doctor) in Sri Lanka. I worked as a locum doctor prior to permanently joining, doing shifts here and there, but learnt that there is a vast difference between locum and private doctors. I've been asked so many … Continue reading The private sector saga
Medical wards in the government sector in Sri Lanka are mainly known for being overcrowded, but they are also possibly the best place for any medical student or intern doctor to learn. Handling a ward by yourself as an intern doctor in Sri Lanka for 6 months with no registrar doctors around will possibly have … Continue reading Scribblings of a Medic CME – Midnight madness by Dr. Paba Atapattu
Any patient in shock is an emergency, but when the patient is pregnant, everybody acts extra fast and is extra cautious, because there are two lives at stake. The case report below is based upon a real event that took place, and showcases the effect and consequence of poverty and poor health access in certain … Continue reading Scribblings of a Medic CME – Rock hard abdomen by Dr. Madushika Rajapakse
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