Tearing ACL in Taekwondo Sparring

Watching Human Weapon's Jason Chambers snapping his ACL on a Taekwondo sparring match just reminds me of myself back in 10th May 2005. Jason Lee Kang Xian Chambers attempts to execute a tornado kick with a poor landing, and resulting torsion snaps his knee.



Similarly, I attempted to continue fighting when my knee snaps for the first time, which then snaps for the second time in less than 20 seconds back into the round. It caused me to undergo an ACL Reconstruction surgery.

Warning : Awful video clip,
But serves as a very informational/educational documentary on Endoscopic ACL Reconstruction.



It's also something that I've went through in the operation theater before not once, but twice. And I feel the pain when I watch it.

Practicum Placement

I first approach National Sports Institute hoping to get into the Sport Psychology Centre for my practicum placement. NSI accepted us with the condition of having our practicum done 5 days per week. However, our college rationale only allows us once per week. There goes my opportunity have a taste of working in NSI and more specifically the Sport Psychology Centre.

To be honest I was pretty pissed off that it's because of the college rationale that stops me from getting exposure in the field of Sports Psychology. External factor rather than internal factor. Oh well, at least I get to step into the National Sports Institute building. *shrugs!*

This morning, just hours after answering my course mate's question as a post entry in regards to our education, I received a text message from the Social Science programme leader, asking me to call her back. I thought I was in deep shit for criticizing the programme, or failed her assignment. You know, usually those who received phone calls from her, it's never good news. Those are people who fail in coursework, got barred from exams and the list goes on.

I called her up, braving myself to face whatever consequences for my action.



And indeed, I'll be facing the consequences for sending the practicum opportunity request letter to HUKM. They accepted our request and I'll be posted to HUKM Psychiatry department along with Ezra in our last semester of Diploma programme for our practicum.


Till then.

A Question Posted by My Coursemate

Ezra posted on Private Institutions That Offers Undergraduate Psychology Course - Updated

Hey
i still cant figure out whether to take advance or degree
financial concerns and all
plus im not sure about the benefits of goin overseas to take my degree.
I thought we are supposed to learn about malaysian culture and not the culture from overseas so that we can counsel malaysians.
i hope that u could blog on that

Ezra's question;

1. Advance vs Degree

Based on my personal opinion after I've went through other institutions' Psychology programme syllabus, I would say that TAR College's Psychology programme standard is abysmally low for the course of it's kind that is available in Malaysia. Read more to know what's the main reason.

Before I proceed, let me explain the route of progression in TAR College. SPM leavers who has 5 credits including English are entitled to be enrolled into Diploma in Social Science (Counselling). It's a two years (4 semesters and 2 short semesters) programme. Upon completing Diploma, students who chooses to continue their education at TAR College progresses to Advanced Diploma in Social Science (Psychology) for another 2 years (4 semesters), and finally for a Bachelor Degree, students who chooses this route will HAVE to join Summer Semester Programme at Liverpool John Moores University(LJMU).

No doubt students enjoy the opportunity of Summer Semester Programme by going to LJMU for 3 months to complete their Bsc(Hons) Human Psychology, but in my humble opinion the period is too short for us to even start adapting to the new environment, or for some, just began to adapt.

A recent informal interaction between our course seniors who are in their 2nd year of Advanced Diploma with LJMU's Summer Semester Programme leader for Psychology, Professor Noel Sheehy ( which I shamelessly joined to in to ask questions although the meeting wasn't for us in Diploma level ), I understand that there will be no Industrial attachment/posting/training provided to students who complete their Degree via the route mentioned earlier.

The lack of or should I say non existence of industrial attachment/posting/training in our syllabus itself is a big lost for students in terms of exposure to the working world.

However, students do get a practicum experience during their last semester in Diploma level. But again, I do not believe that students will gain MUCH from the practicum arranged in our syllabus. Students are arranged for practicum once a week for the duration of 7 weeks. Summing them up, we only go to our practicum posting for a total of 7 times only.

But for students who are not concerned about industrial experience and intend to pursue a Post Graduate course that is offered by LJMU, this progression route would be for them because the courses are offered to the Summer Semester Students at discounted prices.

On the other hand, other institutions that I've mentioned in my previous post do have Industrial Posting/Placement as part of their syllabus, except for Raffles School of Psychology which I will inquire more later on in regards to Industrial Placement.

2. Financial concern

If you intend to pursue your Degree locally, you can always apply for PTPTN loan. But that doesn't mean your dreams of studying abroad is crushed because of financial issues, you can still apply for study loan from various organizations or bank, if you don't mind paying back with interest after graduating.

3. Benefits of studying abroad

Again, my personal opinion says It depends on individual. I think the article The Benefits of Study Abroad " by Mary M. Dwyer, Ph.D. and Courtney K. Peters would be a good read up.

4.I thought we are supposed to learn about Malaysian culture and not the culture from overseas so that we can counsel Malaysians

If I can remember clearly, we do have a module called Malaysia: Cultural & Religious Practices during our 3rd semester. Although we used textbooks from United States, but the theories can still be applied here. Our assignment topics given during that semester for this particular subject was to analyze Malaysian culture based on a few local production movies.

I decided to make this entry a post instead of replying to Ezra's comment after having deep considerations for my course mates who are still undecided and not clear with what is lying ahead of them. I hope based on my limited knowledge,resource and survey, it will help them in their decision making. But then again, please do find out the information first hand by yourself as well before deciding/making any conclusion.

Disclaimer: Informations posted are correct at the time of posting and may change without notification. I shall not bear any responsibilities in anyways for any form of damages caused by reader's decision due to my entry posting.

Private Institutions That Offers Undergraduate Psychology Course - Updated

Related Post:

• Private Institutions That Offers Undergraduate Psychology Course (11 August, 2007)
• Private Institutions That Offers Undergraduate Psychology Course - International Medical University
  (26 October, 2007)

Went to The Star Education Fair 2008 instead of studying today to inquire about Psychology programmes in other institutions in Malaysia.

In my previous write ups, I mentioned about HELP University College, Sunway University College, University College Sedaya International, Monash University, University Tunku Abdul Rahman and most recently, International Medical University offering Psychology as part of their new courses available.

And today I got to know that Nottingham University, Malaysia Campus and Raffless School of Psychology, Malaysia Campus will be offering Psychology programme as part of their new courses, just like IMU.




Raffless School of Psychology is actually from Singapore, and recently started their Malaysia campus. They will be awarding Diploma in Applied Psychology up to Specialist Diploma in Applied Psychology. To complete a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Applied Psychology that is validated and awarded by University of Wales, students are required to complete it at Raffles School of Psychology Singapore campus at their third and final year. As an option, students can either do a 3+0 programme with Singapore Campus, or 2+1 with Malaysia Campus for the 1st two years and final year at Singapore.


On the other hand, Nottingham University, Malaysia Campus offers BSc (Honours) in Applied Psychology And Management Studies under their School Of Applied Psychology.

It seems that every year more and more institutions are offering Psychology programmes. A good sign indeed, for people who intend to study Psychology locally and most importantly to match up the ratio of Psychologist in Malaysia with the citizens.

And this certainly brings more joy to me as once I complete my diploma, I'll be having extra few more options to choose from. Infact, I've already submitted my application form to IMU today, and If I were to proceed to study at IMU, I'll get my application processing fees waived.

Till then, we'll see.