In every doctor’s career, some patients pass through quietly, while others leave an imprint that changes the way a clinician thinks and practises for good. For Dr. Hema Seridaran, that patient was a 65-year-old woman she met in 2018, during her early days as a house officer in a government hospital. That encounter became the turning point that eventually led her into wound care, and years later, to Seri Mediclinic in Silibin, Ipoh.
Looking back, Dr. Hema says the lessons from that one case were ones no medical textbook could have taught her.
Early Days as a House Officer
In 2018, Dr. Hema was a young house officer in a busy government hospital, where every day meant ward rounds, patient reviews, blood investigations, documentation and a steady stream of emergencies. The wards were always full, and every healthcare worker was stretched thin trying to keep up with patient numbers.
Like many newly graduated doctors, she arrived with medical knowledge and enthusiasm, but quickly learned that real practice was more complex than anything covered in lectures. At that stage, her exposure to wound care was limited. She understood the basic principles and followed conventional treatment approaches, but had not yet appreciated how serious a wound could become when it was not managed properly. That was about to change.
A Patient Who Changed Her Perspective
One day, a 65-year-old woman was admitted under her team’s care. At first she seemed like many other patients, but as Dr. Hema reviewed the case, it became clear the situation was more serious than it first appeared: the patient had sepsis secondary to an infected sacral wound, and the infection had already spread through her body.
As she learned more of the patient’s journey, a picture emerged. Before reaching the hospital, the woman had travelled from one district to another seeking treatment elsewhere, hoping her wound could be resolved without hospital admission. Various treatments had been tried, but the wound kept getting worse. By the time she arrived at the hospital, the consequences were severe.
When a Wound Becomes an Emergency
What happened next has stayed vivid in Dr. Hema’s memory. The patient’s oxygen level dropped, her blood pressure fell, and she collapsed. The ward moved into urgent action. What had looked like an infected wound had become a life-threatening, body-wide infection.
That moment taught Dr. Hema something many people, including some healthcare workers, can overlook: a wound itself does not kill, but infection, delay and inadequate management left unchecked can turn a wound into a fight for survival.
The Questions That Stayed With Her
Long after her shift ended, Dr. Hema kept returning to the same questions. Why had the wound become so severe? Could it have been prevented? Why was the referral so late? Would earlier, appropriate wound care have changed the outcome?
She did not have all the answers, and that was part of what troubled her most: by the time she and her team were involved, they were no longer focused on healing a wound, but on keeping a patient alive. It was a humbling experience early in her career, and it made her realise how much she still had to learn. A wound, she came to understand, is rarely just a break in the skin. Healing is shaped by nutrition, circulation, blood sugar control, pressure, infection control, mobility, patient education and family support, all at once.
Turning a Lesson Into a Vocation
The 2018 case stayed with Dr. Hema well after her housemanship ended. Every time she later treated a patient with a chronic wound, a pressure injury or a diabetic foot ulcer, she thought back to that patient and what her case had taught her. Rather than settling for the level of wound knowledge she already had, she decided to build on it formally.
In 2022, she completed the Certificate in Clinical Wound Care (CCWC), which let her systematically study wound healing science, wound assessment, infection prevention, dressing selection, pressure injury management, diabetic wound care and multidisciplinary wound management. In 2023, she went further, enrolling in the Postgraduate Diploma in Wound Care Management at Lincoln University College, Malaysia. That programme broadened her understanding of wound care from both a clinical and a healthcare-delivery perspective, covering quality improvement, multidisciplinary collaboration and ways to translate research into practical care. For Dr. Hema, the point was never the paper qualification itself, but becoming a more careful clinician, and reducing the chances of another patient reaching the point that first patient had reached.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Dr. Hema has continued learning past her formal qualifications, attending conferences and symposiums including Global Wound Conferences, the 7th Global Wound Conference with the Perak team, the 6th Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) Wound Care Symposium, and the Penang Wound Conference, exchanging ideas with wound care specialists, surgeons, nurses, podiatrists and rehabilitation professionals.
She has also taken wound care awareness into the community, supporting initiatives such as Program Saringan Kesihatan Bersama Pasukan Tzu Chi, Program Kesedaran Penjagaan Luka Komuniti Perak, Program Kempen Kesihatan Bersama Komuniti Kampar, and a health outreach programme in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, through Hospital Beyond Boundaries. These programmes reinforced something she had already begun to see in the clinic: many serious wound complications can be avoided simply by helping people recognise risk factors and seek treatment sooner.
Why Every Wound Deserves Attention
Today, whenever Dr. Hema sees a patient with a wound, she still thinks of the woman who shaped her path into this field. A common misconception, she notes, is that wounds are minor and will simply heal on their own. That is not always true, particularly for patients with diabetes, older patients, those with poor circulation, or anyone who is immobile or bedridden, all of whom face a higher risk of complications.
Her message to patients is straightforward: do not ignore a wound, and act early rather than letting it become severe. If a wound grows larger, develops discharge, becomes more painful, produces an odour, changes colour, or simply will not heal, it is worth having it assessed. Wound assessment, dressing changes, and monitoring related to diabetes and infection are part of the ongoing care available at Seri Mediclinic in Silibin, Ipoh, where Dr. Hema now practises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are some wounds more dangerous than others?
Certain wounds carry higher risk from the start. People with diabetes, older adults, those with poor circulation, and patients who are immobile or bedridden tend to heal more slowly and are more prone to infection. Without early attention, a wound in these groups can deteriorate quickly.
Can an ordinary-looking wound really become life-threatening?
Yes. A wound itself is not usually dangerous, but if infection sets in and treatment is delayed, it can spread through the body and become a serious, even life-threatening, condition. This is why changes such as increasing pain, swelling, discharge or odour should not be ignored.
What are the warning signs that a wound needs medical attention?
Signs to watch for include a wound that is growing larger, producing discharge or an unpleasant smell, changing colour, becoming increasingly painful, or simply failing to heal after a reasonable period. Any of these warrants a proper assessment rather than waiting it out.
What wound care qualifications does Dr. Hema hold?
Dr. Hema completed the Certificate in Clinical Wound Care (CCWC) in 2022, followed by the Postgraduate Diploma in Wound Care Management at Lincoln University College, Malaysia, in 2023. She has also attended multiple wound care conferences and community health programmes across Perak and beyond.
What wound-related care is available at Seri Mediclinic in Silibin?
Wound assessment, dressing changes, and monitoring of diabetes and infection related to wound healing are part of the ongoing care available at the Silibin branch. Patients with a wound that is not healing as expected are encouraged to have it looked at rather than wait.
For further information, you are welcome to call 012-943 3882 or walk in during opening hours.