Alhamdulillah, I have done and passed (I think) my SPA interview, so what's left is to sort out the MMC and MOH/KKM forms. Which I will do, once I gather enough willpower. I haven't reported to MARA yet either, but there's no rush - they give you 2 years to do that, unlike the one month for JPA students.

Today I wish to talk about how the SPA interview runs based on my experience. Before I went for the interview, I tried searching high and low (read: Google) for tips on the interview and I only found one worth reading by a guy interviewing for a pharmacist job. So, being the gracious person that I am (haha!), I'll let you in on what happens so that you don't have to suffer like me.

May I remind you that before you go for the interview, you should fill up the online form on the SPA website at least 10 working days before. It takes about 3 days for them to process that information, and only after those 3 days can you book an interview date, which during peak times like now, should be booked at least a week before. You probably already know all this stuff. But if you're anything like me, despite the husband already working and having gone through the same process (and friends as well), I was absolutely clueless as to all the procedures necessary (though this is probably due to my lack of eagerness to start work).

They usually run the interviews on Tuesdays, but at the moment, they're even holding interviews on Wednesday and Thursday, with graduates from the UK, Russia and some local university(-ies) flooding the unemployment scene. On my interview day, there were at least 3 interview rooms, and once you've booked an interview date, they pre-allocate the rooms for you. But the sequence for who goes in first and so on for each room depends on who gets there first. So try to get there before 8. I got there at 8 sharp and was no 8 (not sure out of how many) for room M (there were also rooms F and L that I knew of). A friend of mine was there at 7.30 and she was no 3 for my room. The interviews are supposed to take about 15 minutes, but if you're lucky, you get interviewers like our room M who torture you for 30-40 minutes.

Considering I was candidate no 8, I expected to be interviewed at around 12 noon. So if I were you, I'd bring a book to read or a game to play. UNO cards aren't such a bad idea either because there are loads of people waiting with you and if they're non-Malaysian graduates, they probably need something to get their minds off the interview. On that particular day, there were at least 10 Malaysian graduates, whom you could tell from their enthusiasm in studying the Oxford Handbook, the Sarawak Handbook and their intense discussions on clinical themes. Anyway, the people before me mentioned that they got questions on medical ethics, some clinical questions like diabetes and for room M, they got a 15 lecture on how bad the working conditions are in Malaysia and that you should be ready.

Anyway, the SPA person asked general questions about you, so it was kind of a formal-ish chat. He asked me to tell him a bit about my background. Pastu dia tanya pasal Manchester punya graduation levels (distinctions, honours, ordinary) pastu dia tanya kenapa I dapat ordinary je, which he thinks is because I got married. Haha. So I bluffed a bit, takkan nak cakap sebab I malas kan. And I did say that my grades improved as I got into clinical years (what I'm trying to say is that you can't blame or credit marriage for your grades, it's all up to you if you want to perform or not).

The MOH lady asked medically related questions, but thank God, I didn't get any clinical questions, because otherwise I might have flunked it. She just asked about my skills (bloods etc), which I explained that in the UK, we're pretty much allowed to do the same things as Malaysian medical students. The most difficult question was probably "Why do you want to be a doctor?", which should be asked at entry level interviews, because now, it's a bit too late. I took a deep breath in and tried to recall what I wrote in my personal statement in college or what I answered to the university interviews and NOTHING came to mind. I'm not gonna tell you what I eventually said, because it is extremely embarassing and was only slightly better than saying "Saya suka main doktor-doktor sejak kecil" or "Nenek saya pernah sakit, maka sejak hari itu, saya berazam untuk jadi doktor". Pastu dia tanya ada tak jumpa communicable diseases kat UK. I cakap la TB since there is a high population of Asians in Manchester. Pastu dia tanya, "So awak tau la signs and symptoms and how to identify TB patients?" I just said inshaAllah. Pastu dia tak tanya dah soalan on that and just said because I graduated from Manchester, dia yakin dengan my knowledge and skills. She also asked, "Boleh ke nak jadi doktor memandangkan awak dah kahwin ni?", so I immediately said, "Saya tak nampak apa2 halangan untuk saya jadi doktor yang baik." She added further that it would be difficult to balance the duties of a wife, motherhood etc with work. Both interviewers were quite happy when I said that inshaAllah there won't be any worries about motherhood and I wish to focus on being a good house officer. And she also asked what would happen if I got posted to Sabah. I smiled and said I would appeal first, and should that fail, I would just go and try appealing for a transfer from there. She was very happy with that and said, "Bagus, bagus, pergi la dulu ya." Takkan la saya nak cakap yang saya akan mengamuk dan pull all strings, threads and ropes available to not be sent there. Kemaman pun saya tanak pergi, apatah lagi Sabah. I was already forced to go to Preston, I am not gonna be forced to go to Sabah, regardless of how much extra allowance I would get.

And that was pretty much it. I don't know how I was lucky to be interviewed for less than 20 minutes. I think it was because I didn't stop smiling and the interviewers probably thought I was verging on lunacy and they had better give me the job before I run amok. By 15 minutes, the lady from the MOH said "I think you're ready to work in Malaysia, so welcome to KKM and I think I can say welcome to Malaysia as well." Pastu basically she advised that I have to be prepared mentally, physically and emotionally untuk kerja kat Malaysia. And that they don't want textbook doctors who know everything yet can't communicate with patients (at this statement, I smiled and nodded fervently memandangkan communication is probably the only asset I have, being a Manchester graduate).

I think that's all I can recall. So you don't really have to study, I guess. Kalau nak study pun, just read up on MI, diabetes, dengue and TB a bit kot. And maybe a bit about 1Malaysia. And I think, just be yourself, and ramble on. Oh btw, the Health Minister is DS Liow Tiong Lai and the DG is Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Merican.

After the interview, the interviewers will sort of hint to you whether you've passed or failed (someone who failed last week was asked to go home first and study). The results come out at 2.30, at which time you can collect the appointment letters. But if you can't be bothered to wait, after waiting for hours for the interview, let them post out the document to you.

And that is that.