A Radiologist from the 'Sieng Kong'
– Dr. Phonphrom Vivatsrikul –
It’s a common sight to see Dr. Phonphrom Vivatsrikul sitting in front of a computer screen, or multiple screens, absorbed in radiological images of a patient’s internal body. This is the duty of a radiologist at the Medical Diagnostic Imaging Centre at BNH Hospital, a vital force in providing patients with comprehensive, holistic care.
A 'Sieng Kong' Daughter
Today, Talat Noi is a trendy riverside neighbourhood that attracts tourists from all over the world. This is in stark contrast to decades ago, when people mostly visited to buy second-hand car parts from the “Sieng Kong” shops that were the area’s primary business. Even today, you can still see these old Sieng Kong shops scattered among cafés and photo spots.
One of those Sieng Kong shops was the home where Dr. Phonphrom grew up. The children in this family witnessed both the boom and the decline of the business and knew that they could not rely on it alone to survive.
“All my siblings were hardworking and tried to find extra income. My older brother started tutoring at people’s houses, and when I saw him do it, I thought it was a good way to earn some pocket money. When I was in high school at Triam Udom Suksa School, I started tutoring, too, and I continued doing it even after I got into medical school. I only stopped in my final years when my studies became too demanding and I couldn’t manage my time.”
In a time before the internet was widespread, Phonphrom, like many other academically strong students, chose to study medicine because she was good at it and most of her classmates were also choosing to become doctors. She was accepted as a medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital.
“I was a child who was not very self-reliant. Having to study medicine and live in a dorm forced me to adapt. Before, I stayed at home, and people did things for me. I had to take care of myself, and I managed to survive quite well.”
After that, Phonphrom rarely returned home for long periods. After graduation, she completed her rural service in Prachinburi and Samut Prakan provinces before returning to Siriraj Hospital to specialise in diagnostic radiology.
“I chose to study radiology because, deep down, I’m quite an introvert. Radiology has the advantage of not being as chaotic as other medical fields. And at that time, this speciality was still quite scarce. Not many people in Thailand pursued this specialisation. The medical school I wanted to go back to teach at also wanted a specialist in this field. If we have an expert radiologist, it makes other doctors’ jobs easier. Some complicated examinations might be beyond the scope of a general practitioner. So, I decided to specialise in it.”
After completing her subspecialty in advanced diagnostic radiology at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Dr. Phonphrom was appointed as a professor in diagnostic radiology at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University. She taught fourth-year medical students while also providing medical services to patients. She enjoyed teaching so much that even after she moved to BNH Hospital, she still went back to teach. She only stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The work of a diagnostic radiologist requires constant coordination with other departments to achieve Complete Care, or comprehensive and holistic care. This includes X-rays of bones, abdominal ultrasounds, and breast mammograms. The relationship between personnel in each department is therefore very important to ensure quick coordination.
“BNH Hospital is not very big. During breaks, we go up to the doctors’ lounge to eat, and we get to meet almost everyone. Once we know each other, it’s easy to discuss and refer cases. If there’s something very urgent, we can just call the primary doctor directly. This is a great thing about this place. The colleagues are great, and everyone is lovely.”
The Radiologist
Diagnostic radiologists must interpret images and translate them into information for other doctors to act on. Dr. Phonphrom works meticulously, to the point where she sees it as almost obsessive, because she wants her diagnostic results to be as useful as possible for the treatment.
However, patients might see radiologists as doctors who stay in a corner of a room, working with machines and having little interaction with them. This is not true at all.
“Most radiologists meet patients who come in for an ultrasound or an MRI or CT scan. Sometimes, if we see an image and are unsure, we can go and talk to the patient or perform a basic physical examination to see what the image might be. In interpreting the results, talking to the patient is crucial. For cases where the patient is anxious about the exam, we talk to them beforehand about the purpose of the exam and try to ease their anxiety. Or, if they want to say something, we let them vent. I believe listening is a part of the treatment.”
Following the teachings of her respected professor, who always said to ‘think of the patient as your teacher’, Dr. Phonphrom knows that no matter how many books a doctor reads, a real-life case is different. Whenever she encounters an unfamiliar case, she works hard to apply her knowledge. Even though her main duty is not as the primary doctor, she is fully committed to doing anything that affects the treatment plan and quality of life of the patient.
A Doctor Who Doesn't 'Consume Drama'
“I don’t really like to consume drama, like the emotions of characters. Series with actors tend to be very emotional, which is why I don’t really like watching them. What I like are investigative and detective documentaries. I feel like documentaries don’t have emotions in them. And I don’t like watching things that are long and continuous, like series. If I do watch them, I watch those with short, self-contained episodes.”
Besides not liking films or series, Dr. Phonphrom also dislikes reading novels that are heavy with character emotions. Instead, she loves reading history books, including the biographies of historical figures and world history.
“I feel sensitive when I read certain passages in novels, and I don’t want to get that emotionally involved. So, I choose to consume documentaries instead.”
Dr. Phonphrom has a favourite documentary on Netflix about the history before the fall of the Romanov dynasty. She also follows historical content on Facebook, especially from the page ‘A Space to Tell’, which is about the history of European royal families.
“I might not use this knowledge in my work, but when I meet people who don’t have the same profession as me, this kind of general knowledge gives me something to talk about with people outside my field. Because, to be honest, the world of doctors is quite narrow. We only get to know people in our immediate circle. For example, if I take a self-improvement course, and I meet people from other professions, having general knowledge is somewhat beneficial and helps me get to know people who aren’t from the medical field.”
Happiness is Found When the Mind is at Peace
“I am a person who can be happy very easily because I don’t have many expectations. In the past, I had expectations, like by a certain age, I had to have a certain academic position, and by another age, I had to have a certain amount of wealth. But today, I don’t feel like I want any of that anymore. I feel content because I don’t really spend a lot of money. My happiness is simply waking up and going to work each day. Maybe I finish my work before the end of the day, or maybe I come to work and say something nice to a staff member that makes everyone laugh, or just driving without getting annoyed at the car next to me. That’s all. It’s a simple kind of happiness.”
This is her mindset after she practised meditation to calm her mind. In fact, she didn’t start it recently.
“When I was a medical student, the faculty required the entire class to go on a meditation retreat. But we went without understanding the purpose. I just wondered why they had locked us up here. I did it, but it wasn’t effective. But after I had seen more of life, it was easier to understand.”
Dr. Phonphrom started to practise meditation on weekends, but the short duration and her mind still being preoccupied with worldly matters meant it didn’t feel very effective. As soon as she got back to her daily life, she reverted to her old self. But last year, a senior who was interested in Dhamma recommended and invited her to a mindfulness course at Suan Saeng Tian Siriboon in Phayao province. She decided to try a 7-day retreat.
“I was impressed. I started to understand why people find time to do this. I felt it was genuinely good. It broke the cycle of thinking about social media and worldly things. Even today, when I’m at home on my days off, I still get calls from different places, and I feel stressed. Going to a place where they don’t allow you to use a phone and you have to be with yourself makes you feel calmer. So, I’ve decided to attend a long course at least once a year, and more if I can.”
“I want the information I provide to the primary doctor to be useful for the treatment. When they are still uncertain about a diagnosis and how to proceed, they can get information from me and move forward. And if they want me to help with something or perform additional tests, I try to meet their needs to the best of my ability.”
With a radiologist who is as dedicated to her patients as Dr. Phonphrom, even though she doesn’t have much interaction with them or is not the primary doctor, she is someone who sees what others overlook. She is a vital force that ensures the treatment proceeds correctly and that patients have a good quality of life.
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สาขาเฉพาะทาง
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– โรคเก๊าท์ (Gout)
– Louthrenoo W., Kasitanon N., Wangkaew S., Hongsongkiat S., Sukitawut W., Wichainun R. (2014). Streptococcus agalactiae: An emerging cause of septic arthritis. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 20(2), 74-8.
DOI: 10.1097/RHU.0000000000000071
– สมาชิกแพทยสภา
– สมาชิกราชวิทยาลัยอายุรแพทย์แห่งประเทศไทย
– สมาชิกสมาคมรูมาติสซั่มแห่งประเทศไทย
– Board of Internal Medicine, Chiang Mai University
– Board of Rheumatology, Chiang Mai University
– 2005 Doctor of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (First-class honours)
– Residency Training Program in Internal Medicine, Chiang Mai University
– Fellowship Training Program in Rheumatology, Chiang Mai University
– Thai Board of Internal Medicine, Chiang Mai University
– Thai Subboard of Rheumatology, Chiang Mai University
ตารางออกตรวจแพทย์
| วัน | เวลา | แผนก |
|---|---|---|
| จันทร์ | 10:00 – 17:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |
| อังคาร | 10:00 – 17:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |
| พุธ | 10:00 – 17:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |
| พฤหัสบดี | 10:00 – 17:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |
| ศุกร์ | 10:00 – 17:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |
| เสาร์ | 10:00 – 15:00 | แผนกอายุรกรรม |