Ever wondered about the cases that puzzle junior doctors? Discover the lessons behind medicine’s trickiest diagnoses in a newly published medical casebook by esteemed Datin Emeritus Professor Chia Yook Chin and Dr Ng Wei Leik.
WORDS PANK JIT SIN
 FEATURED EXPERTDATIN EMERITUS PROFESSOR DR CHIA YOOK CHIN Head of the Ageing, Health and Well-being Research Centre Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences Sir Jeffery Cheah Sunway Medical School Sunway University and Emeritus Professor Department of Primary Care Medicine Faculty of Medicine Universiti Malaya |
 FEATURED EXPERTDR NG WEI LEIK Lecturer Faculty of Medicine Universiti Malaya |
A newly published medical casebook is making its way into clinics and medical libraries, and it might just save a few lives.
Expect the Unexpected, co-authored by Emeritus Professor Datin Dr Chia Yook Chin and Dr Ng Wei Leik, is conceived with the intention to guide early-career doctors through some of medicine’s trickiest diagnostic dilemmas.
EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM WITHIN THE PAGES
More than just a collection of cases, the book distils decades of clinical wisdom into clear, practical lessons.
The authors describe it as a “shortcut to experience,” offering junior doctors an inside look at situations that have confounded even the most seasoned practitioners.
“Medicine isn’t always straightforward,” says Datin Emeritus Professor Dr Chia Yook Chin. “It’s easy to miss the bigger picture when symptoms don’t line up neatly. That’s when experience matters, and that’s what this book hopes to offer.”
Among the many cases featured is one that Professor Dr Chia recalls vividly:
- A 32-year-old man sought help for persistent headaches lasting over 3 weeks.
- Several consultations and misdiagnoses later, doctors discovered an HIV-related lesion in a part of the brain responsible for vision.
“This case stayed with me,” says Professor Dr Chia. “It reminds us how easily serious conditions can slip through if we don’t think broadly enough.”
The book’s aim is twofold:
- To sharpen clinical reasoning skills in general practitioners
- To support a good cause, as all proceeds from book sales will be donated to charity
Plans are also underway to adapt the book for the general public, presenting medical insights in a way that’s accessible to lay readers, particularly to those eager to better understand how and why diagnoses sometimes go astray.
Whether you’re a young doctor looking to fast-track your clinical instincts or simply intrigued by the mysteries of modern medicine, Expect the Unexpected promises valuable lessons for all.
| This article is part of our series on health-related campaigns and milestone events of note in Malaysia. |
