I decided to specialise in internal medicine because...
In 1995, when I was completing my basic specialist training, it suddenly struck me that I would like to manage different medical conditions instead of simply specialising in one particular organ.

As a trainee, what I saw as I rotated through the different specialities is that patients tend to have multiple problems. A specialist who focuses on only one area may lead to fragmented care for the patient, whereas an internist can oversee the multiple problems a patient has.

That was when I decided that internal medicine was for me. I wanted to be able to manage all of my patient's problems.

I come across all types of cases from...
Head to toe. (Laughs)

Actually it can be any medical problems involving the systems of the body. From something as simple as stroke to diabetes, from kidney failure to hypertension. The list goes on.

But the most interesting cases that I see are those from obstetric medicine. For example, I specialise in treating pregnant women with medical problems such as diabetes.

In a way, it's like treating two patients at the same time. So when you manage to treat the illness and deliver a healthy baby, it's extra rewarding. That is what's so special about obstetric medicine.

If I were to give an analogy for what I do, I would be...
Can I give two?

I'd be a conductor in an orchestra. In the way a conductor manages the different instruments in an orchestra, I manage the different medical conditions of a patient.

I'm also like a detective in a way. When a patient comes in with certain symptoms, it is up to me to solve the mystery and figure out what exactly he is suffering from.

I love patients who are...
Concerned for and take an interest in their own medical condition.

This usually happens when a patient with a medical condition gets pregnant. All mothers want the outcome to be the best for their baby. That's when they start listening to what the doctors say.

I get impatient with patients who...
Don't really care or bother about their condition. It gets very frustrating because there you are trying all you can to help them, but they don't care at all.

If I could tell them what's on my mind, I would say...
It's important to take care of your medical condition. Otherwise, it will lead to complications in the long term.

Things that put a smile on my face...
When a patient says 'thank you for looking after me'.

I remember I once had this patient who had a miscarriage due to a medical condition. She had anti-phospholipid syndrome - a condition that causes the blood to be too thick to carry a baby to term.

When we finally treated her successfully and she managed to deliver her baby, it felt very rewarding. Even better, she invited me and the other obstetrician out for dinner to thank us. That certainly put a smile on my face.

I wouldn't trade places for the world because...
I enjoy what I do and I find it not only challenging but also rewarding.

My best tip...
Make health your No. 1 priority in life. You get to live only once.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on May 7, 2008.