Healthcare Scholar Manfred Mak tells us how his role as a
Senior Podiatrist at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH)
helps his patients walk tall and live proud.
The importance of your foot health
cannot be overstated. Even an activity as
mundane as going to the kitchen to fetch
a glass of water depends on healthy foot function.
Podiatrists like Manfred Mak help to ensure that
any foot, ankle or lower limb disorders are quickly
identified and promptly treated.
The Healthcare Scholar adds, “All around the
world, our feet are often hidden in footwear and are
out of our view and minds for the better part of the
day. The welfare of our feet is often neglected until
something bad occurs.
“Prevention is often better than cure – simply
checking your feet every morning can make
all the difference. If it looks or feels strange or
uncomfortable, have it checked out by a healthcare
professional!”
What Sparked Your Interest In
Podiatry And Inspired You To Apply
For The Healthcare Scholarship?
Manfred Mak: I found myself thinking about my
future career path while waiting to enlist for my
National Service after completing my ‘A’ Levels. To
be honest, I’ve always felt that healthcare is a very
rewarding field that would allow me to give back to
the community, and SingHealth offered me a very
hospitable environment to begin my healthcare
career.
"To
be honest, I’ve always felt that healthcare is a very
rewarding field that would allow me to give back to
the community, and SingHealth offered me a very
hospitable environment to begin my healthcare
career."
Before I signed up for the Singapore General
Hospital Overseas Scholarship, I had not heard
much about Podiatry. It’s a relatively new field in
Singapore and I came to see it as more procedural
and intervention-focused. I enjoy hands-on work
and interacting with other people, and I was thus
drawn to the field of Podiatry.
What Experiences Have You
Enjoyed As A Healthcare Scholar
With Singhealth?
Manfred: Living and studying in the United
Kingdom was a unique, life-changing experience.
It made me more independent, resourceful and
sociable and this has helped me when interacting
with patients.
SingHealth has been very forthcoming
with assistance I’ve required throughout my
scholarship journey, whether as an undergraduate
or in my working career. A lot of learning is
self-initiated and we also acquire a lot of our
knowledge on the job. My peers in SingHealth
are also important pillars of support as we learn
together as a team.
In addition to local conferences and workshops
with other Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), I
was awarded the Health Manpower Development
Plan in 2012, where I had the opportunity to travel
to the United States (US) and was privileged to
be mentored by a US Podiatric Surgeon who is a
leading expert in diabetic foot conditions.
Tell Us More About Your Role As A
Senior Podiatrist And Operational
Lead For Inpatient Podiatry
Services At Sgh.
Manfred: As a Senior Podiatrist, I see a lot of
patients who require acute care, such as those
with diabetic foot wounds. These wounds usually
need to be cleaned and sometimes debrided
(have non-viable tissue removed) with scalpels.
We also perform minor surgical procedures under
local anaesthetic, such as toenail surgery.
The conditions we treat can sometimes be
quite challenging and we have to work closely
with healthcare professionals to help address
these. As Operational Lead for Inpatient Podiatry
services, I help facilitate these collaborations with
other healthcare professionals while managing
the Podiatry team to help meet patients' needs.
Last but not least, I also mentor the Podiatrists
under my supervision, which includes student
Podiatrists from Australia and the UK. Managing a
team can be tricky at times, especially when your
team members are young. I’ve found that doing
your best and proving your mettle is the best way
to inspire and lead your team.
Share Some Of Your Thoughts On
The Field Of Podiatry With Us.
Manfred: One common issue I see is that
overseas Podiatrists may not be accustomed to
the severity of some of the conditions we treat
here at SGH, but I see that in a good way – if you
can effectively treat some of our most challenging
cases, then you have what it takes to be a good
Podiatrist anywhere!
Manfred Mak
Healthcare Scholar
Designation:
Senior Podiatrist,
Singapore General Hospital
Studied:
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Podiatry,
University of Southampton, UK
"I enjoy hands-on work
and interacting with other people, and I was thus
drawn to the field of Podiatry."
Looking forward, we are continuing to
advance our treatment techniques and expand
our treatment services. For instance, our current
method of treating diabetic foot wounds is
primarily with debridement but the additional
option would be revascularisation (restoring
circulation to the affected foot). This requires
close collaboration with our vascular surgeons
and is certainly a better option than amputation
of the affected limb if gangrene sets in.
However, Podiatry is still not a very well-known
field and its acceptance takes time. It is important
to educate the public on the availability of
podiatric techniques. We currently rely on many
foreign professionals for our podiatry staffing and
I hope to help create more awareness for the field
and see more locals become Podiatrists.
Any Words Of Wisdom For Aspiring
Healthcare Scholars?
Manfred: Healthcare is a challenging and
interesting occupation, but is not always easy.
Difficult decisions have to be made sometimes,
especially when it comes to treatment – for
instance, if a diabetic foot is gangrenous, there
may be no option other than amputation.
"Healthcare is a challenging and
interesting occupation, but is not always easy."
Managing patient expectations is important
when it comes to possible treatment outcomes,
as patients may become disappointed and
upset if they do not like what they hear. At the
end of the day, empathy and patience are key
to communicating effectively and working with
patients to help overcome their foot ailments.