by Dr. Iain
Corness
Dr.
Pavintara is one of the bright new young specialists at the Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital. However, like so many Thai people, her looks do not
equate with her true age. After discussing her post graduate training and
specialization, even I was taken aback to find that this vivacious,
elfin-like lady was well into her third decade! I even ended up counseling
her that when she speaks with foreign patients she should begin by saying,
“I may look young, but I have been specialist for many years!”
She was born in Bangkok, the middle daughter in three
girls born to a soldier and his wife. She went to the local (government)
schools and was a good student, finishing up with grades that would allow
her into the tertiary field of her choice. This was medicine, influenced
in some ways by having cousins that were doctors, and an uncle also in the
medical fraternity.
So when she was 18 years of age she entered Rangsit
University to start the long and rigorous medical course. This is six
years of study, and when you commence it seems as if it goes on forever.
(I speak from experience!)
When a young medical undergraduate is going through
these six years, the more fortunate ones begin to get an idea of which of
the many career paths they wish to take in the huge field of medicine. For
Dr. Pavintara, her initial thought was to become a skin specialist
(dermatologist). (There is a cruel medical joke that says that dermatology
is the ideal specialty as there are no emergencies, the patients never
wake you up in the middle of the night, never get better and have to keep
on coming back! Before all the dermatologists set about me with their
laser knives, I hasten to say that this is just a joke, and not the real
situation!)
However, her medical uncle suggested she should
consider internal medicine, obstetrics, surgery or paediatrics. “In any
of those four, you will save lives. Dermatology is cosmetic,” he said.
She heeded his advice and chose paediatrics, the children’s specialty.
To become a specialist is another long and hard road.
After the six years to get the primary degree, the young graduate now has
to enter a teaching hospital and pursue more training as a specialist. For
the young Dr. Pavintara, this was another three years of her life, spent
at the Bangkok Children’s Hospital. But at the end, she emerged with her
specialist qualifications and recognition by the necessary Thai medical
authorities.
She also emerged with a burning interest in the
development of children. “I would see short children and wanted to help
them become healthy normal children, so I decided to do endocrinology.”
This requires further study into the functioning of the endocrine glands
(these manufacture hormones, insulin and many other substances necessary
for the normal functioning of our bodies). The additional qualification
took another two years, which she did at the Siriraj Hospital, to now be a
specialist paediatric endocrinologist. Quite a mouthful for the
non-medics!
So after 11 years of training, is our young doctor
ready to say, “Enough! Just let me get on with life.” No, she is not.
Medicine is an ongoing discipline and the younger doctors have to keep
striving to not only gain clinical experience, but to also keep up with
the ever changing frontiers of medicine. “I would like to go and do some
short courses overseas, maybe in Japan, Australia or Europe,” said Dr.
Pavintara. And just in case you think that ‘short courses’ take up the
odd long weekend, the short courses Dr. Pavintara refers to last around
six months!
At this point in our interview, she launched into a
lecture on her favourite subject, the growth of children. “Childhood is
a time of growth. If we have an accurate assessment of growth, this is of
primary importance for a paediatrician,” she said. “Accurate height
and weight measurement should be done by the parents every three
months.” By now there was no stopping her! “Regulation of skeletal
growth involves multiple factors. Genes, hormones, nutrition, race,
exercise and environmental, including parental love.” I queried the last
item, but was told by our earnest young specialist that parental love and
kindness in the family influences the production of growth hormone. And by
the way, Dr. Pavintara is a great believer in children going to sleep at
the correct time in the evening. “Growth hormone is secreted during deep
sleep, and the best time is around 10 p.m., so it is important children go
to bed early.”
Of course, one question that should be asked of any
paediatrician, is whether they have any children themselves. Yes, Dr.
Pavintara is married to a Bangkok lawyer and has a two year old daughter.
I asked her if she experienced the usual fears and worries experienced by
all ‘first time’ parents and she admitted that she did. We spoke about
poking our first-borns gently to see a response, just to make sure they
were still alive! Doctors are ordinary humans too!
With her husband and daughter in Bangkok while she
works in Pattaya, she travels up to the nation’s capital twice a week,
and her mother looks after her baby daughter in between visits. This is a
very Thai way. Dr. Pavintara said, “This is an accepted way in SE Asia -
because the parents are so busy!”
She is indeed a very busy young woman, so much so that
she does not have time for any ‘real’ hobbies, though she does admit
to enjoying karaoke and when she has time, enjoys a good novel. There is
no time for an afternoon at the movies, however. “I have a child,” she
said, with that engaging smile again.
Dr. Pavintara is a delightful, and in many ways a traditional Thai
lady, worrying about whether her photo would be fine, and who just happens
to be an exceptionally well qualified doctor! Welcome to Pattaya!
