7. Presumptive or presumptuous?

After a hectic Sunday, Monday was quiet. I had more time to go over yesterday's cases with the intern. As she did not possess a notebook --- a portable computer, I asked her to use the second desktop in the room to write and record Sunday's cases.

Only by writing and recording could she learn about veterinary medicine. I would be able to discuss with her in depth once she had written her case observations. I would also know whether she knew how to use digital pictures to enhance the quality of her writing.

There was no short cut to being a good intern if she does not bother to record. After seeing many cases on Sunday, she would not remember the pertinent points and our oral discussion not based on writing would be a waste of time if she wanted to excel in veterinary medicine as she had done so with her straight As in the Cambridge A-level examinations.

Each case ought to have 100 words, in narrative form, with the theme "Be Kind To Pets". This was a tall order as I doubt junior college students were taught to write narratives to educate. The school system encouraged expositions and factual report writing.

But she had to start somewhere and narrative non-fiction is what makes for interesting reading by most people who simply have no interest or time to read.

She wrote 2 cases with pictures. One about the boy with a Shih Tzu that had just fractured his fifth digit of the left paw and the other one about the Pug with a big circular "hot spot" or cellulitis.

"The reports are well written," I said. "As this is your first attempt, I would not like to criticise too much as that would discourage you." Her Grade A in General Paper already had told me she could write good English. The average student would be fortunate not to fail General Paper. No doubt she had an excellent command of English.

"Do criticise the case reports so that I can improve," she said.

"First drafts are rough," I said. "Seldom are first drafts perfect. Sometimes we need to wait one week, review and re-write," I explained. That explanation puzzled her.

"Well, you did not capture the theme of 'Be Kind To Pets'" I elaborated. "In the case of the fractured nail, it was essential to show that the boy was much concerned about his dog. Its paw was bleeding. He bandaged it and rushed to the vet. The pain was intense because the fracture was at the nail bed, a sensitive nerve and vascular area. If he wanted to do self-treatment, he could. But the dog would suffer in pain for many days and the nail bed could be infected. That would be worse. In this case, he did the right thing. See the vet immediately.

"As for the cellulitis case, she showed a frontal picture of a pug sandwiched between two legs of the owner."

"Why did you use this picture?" I asked.

"To show the reader that this was the pug involved."

"It is a very good idea to give a face to the case as it makes it more interesting. How does the reader know this is the actual pug involved. It is just a picture of a pug facing the camera!"

She had not thought about this aspect. It was an excellent idea of putting a face in a case study.

"Next time, photograph the pug at an angle whereby you can see the cellulitis spot on her right backside. An oblique angle of photography. No legs of owners to frame the picture as that would distract."

It was only by writing that she could learn about the finer aspects of photography and photo-journalism. To make her report alive and of great interest to the reader or to the veterinary professor should she get her Agriculture Department's veterinary scholarship.

"There are only 7 days to go before the interview," I said. "Did you ask the 5 poultry farms you telephoned why the Agriculture Department advised them not to permit visitors?" I had asked her to make appointments so that we could visit one farm in Lim Chu Kang on this coming Wednesday.

"No," she said.

"Why not?" I asked. "You need to be..." I could not find the proper word. "You need to be proactive." Proactive might not be the correct word. Inquisitive? "

"None of the interviewees at the forthcoming interview would have gone to visit any poultry farms," she asserted. There were so few such farms and today we discovered that there was an order to bar visitors.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked her. "One interviewee may have a relative or friend who knows the chicken farm operator and would be able to talk intelligently about poultry farming during the scholarship interview, unlike you."

She nodded her head and adjusted her black rectangular spectacles frame. Yesterday, her right eye contact lens was loose when she was being debriefed at the end of the day. "I can't take it out because my hands are dirty," she said. "Just wear spectacles during the internship," I said. I did not know much about contact lens but many young adults nowadays wear them, I think.

"You cannot be presumptuous," I said to her. "If you assumed wrongly, you lose your scholarship due to the lack of preparation on this vital area --- food animal health --- a core competence of the Agriculture Department."

Actually, the correct word may be presumptive rather than presumptuous. I checked the dictionary while I write this report and presumptive may be the appropriate word. Now, how to get an appointment to visit a poultry farm?

I would like her to prepare herself well for the interview and get the scholarship, since the father had decided that he would only pay if she studies human medicine, not veterianry medicine.