The long overdue final post!

In what maybe a record of some sorts a post after 6 years for a thesis that must now be the bedroom of termites is highly unusual, but I do have a reason for posting.

How did this blog help me? It was very useful indeed. It kept a chronological track of all my thoughts and more importantly recorded phone conversations which I would have otherwise forgotten.

It was so useful I published an article about it which I hope will encourage anyone who is doing a serious project in any field to take up blogging! It definitely helped me Alhamdulillah.

Tower this is Dr Rikaz. We have come home. Over.

APMEC in Action

APMEC was good experience...

Well I did not win any prizes but APMEC 2012 was a very good learning experience for me. The likes of Ronald Harden talking of Transformative Education was really inspiring. So my role in learning Informatics for Medical Education is certainly not wasted. I also got experience in poster design methodology from some of the best in the business!

Of course to perform any more digital feats I will require a University job. Until then I am stuck inside the body of a Medical Officer (Health Informatics). Not too shabby but not really my calling!

This thesis has taken me some distance. How much further will it stretch...

Exposure @ APMEC 2012

Dreams do come true!

Well a pleasant surprise indeed. The research project was selected for a poster at APMEC 2012! Hard work does pay off after all. Thanks to all who made it happen.

Victory!

Victory is sweet and sad as well!

What a feeling! Results are out and its great news from me! Generally I have a lot say when I blog but this is one of those things where words don't easily come! In a way its sad to finish. But life must go on. My colleagues are also going strong in the MOH, Sri Lanka. At the moment I am back to clinicals @ Western Hospital and also working part time for a mobile-web interaction company. Started working on something which needs another blog. This blog maybe over but the cycle continues....

The beginning of the beginning is about to begin!

Well well well... What a relief. Here is how the viva went down:

• Items we needed to bring + ideal to bring:

1. Filled examination card (given by Exam Dept. & you do the filling)
2. Copy of examination rules (given by Exam Dept.)
3. 2 Pens
4. Laptop with presentation and demo
5. Laptop charger
6. USB Flash with a backup of presentation and demo

• We all turned up in the morning and were shoved into a hot room with a poor A/C
• While we were kept sweating a doctor from batch 2 escorted each student out to their viva tables
• It was very important to have a fully charged battery as then you could open your presentation and demo and keep. If you don't you will do start up and getting ready on your presentation time of 10 minutes. Ouch! Better to have a battery that will last at least one to two hours. I borrowed a friend's laptop!
• Off your cellphone. Keep the bag inside the examination hall.
• The presentation went off well. The practice of my presentation over 5 times with friends and family really helped!
• Question and Answer session is of course highly dependent on the examiners you get but some things I learnt:

1. It really pays to have results of even a small pilot of your project in the form of pre-questionnaire, post-questionnaire and of course data outputs of the system you created. With all these results to discuss examiners wont have time to go through tricky technical questions.
2. Try your best to answer everything but don't try to bluff the examiner
3. Accept that you will not be able to answer everything and you will find peace
4. Answer slowly so you drag more time

• You will be given comments on your thesis. It will probably fall into:

1. Minor corrections: Small typing, spelling, styling & formatting errors. Nothing big. Perhaps a few rewrites of paragraphs.
2. Moderate corrections: The examiner may like your project but not agree with your approach. I'm afraid their is going to be some re-writing to do.
3. Severe corrections: Highly unlikely scenario @ the viva stage. Forget it!

• Thank your examiners.
• Remember to take your bag.
• Have a tea and a chat @ the canteen | Leave.

What will happen next? Stay tuned...

No turning back...

Just a little further...

So now it comes down to this. 15 slides. Questions and Answers. 2 years in 20 minutes. It cannot get any more tense than this. Will all my practice go to waste (How many trial runs is enough to present?). Will I forget my definitions?

Either way this course has taken me on a journey of self discovery that the world of Health Informatics is certainly a part of my life now...

Lets hope for the best tomorrow!

My Viva Preparation

The best of both worlds!

I though to follow the plan below:


1. Reading the thesis a few times to get a good overall picture of
what I have done
2. Scanning for keywords used in the thesis and preparing a keyword
list:
    • Description
    • At which points have I used it in the thesis
3. Read the thesis to find out the weaknesses in my thesis
    • Identify where I could have done better | gone wrong
    • Steer clear of presenting | talking about those areas
    • Since you may be asked prepare a feasible alternate explanation
    • Dont lie: If you messed up you messed up. I am sure examiners
hate conjecture!
4. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation based on the guidelines above
highlighting strengths and steering clear of weaknesses
5. Write down what your going to say in front of each slide | Write
down the key points per slide
6. Do a dry run with supervisor | senior consultant | family member a
few times to get the timing and style right
7. Pre-loading my content tabs in sequence to improve time efficiency
8. Its good to give some charity before going for the exam


I Hope this cracks it!