Internal Medicine — Rotation Detail
Resp at Sabah
Tutors
Consultant internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, allergy & clinical immunology, MD, FCCP
Rotation Coordinator
MBBCh, DIP, EDARM, MSc, MD,
The respiratory rotation at Sabah Hospital offers a rich and diverse clinical experience for residents, with unique exposure to a wide spectrum of pulmonary diseases across different specialties. Residents will encounter complex cases, including oncology patients from KCC with pulmonary complications, respiratory issues in maternity patients, and pulmonary involvement in orthopedic, neurology, and burn cases.
During the rotation, residents will attend various subspecialty clinics in respiratory medicine, including severe asthma, interstitial lung disease (ILD), sleep medicine, and tobacco dependence treatment clinics, in addition to the general respiratory clinic. Each resident will be assigned a dedicated clinic once per week, where they independently assess patients and subsequently discuss their cases with a consultant, fostering clinical decision-making and confidence.
Residents will also play an active role in teaching by assessing and supervising medical students within the unit. Regular teaching sessions will be conducted, covering core and advanced topics in respiratory medicine.
Procedural training is an integral component of the rotation. Residents are expected to observe and progressively perform key pulmonary procedures such as bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, and thoracentesis. They will also develop competency in interpreting pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases (ABGs), and sleep study results.
The rotation provides substantial exposure to acute respiratory cases, including their initial management, hospital admission, and follow-up care. Residents will participate in multidisciplinary care through consultations with other specialties and by providing respiratory consultations when requested, including involvement in severe ICU cases.
Additionally, residents will attend the weekly pulmonary medicine grand rounds, where challenging cases are discussed. Active participation is expected, and residents will be required to present cases during these meetings.