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Friday, 19 Apr, 2024

Duke-NUS’ “Research in Action” cultivates future clinician-scientists

The classroom was abuzz with activity as first-year Duke-NUS medical students from the Class of 2027 took centre stage in an engaging session of “Research in Action”.

The event, held on 15 April, marked the culmination of a series designed to connect students with potential mentors for their crucial third-year research projects.

Professor Scott Compton, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education at Duke-NUS, explained that the students had the freedom to interview a mentor from a list of potential candidates within Duke-NUS’ Signature Research Programmes and the broader SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre. They are also given free rein in terms of the presentation format.

“For example, they can choose to re-enact a pivotal moment in the mentor’s life. The goal is they interview the mentor to find out not just what their research is about, but how they got to where they are today,” added Prof Compton.

Held over three sessions during the academic year, “Research in Action” is one of the many avenues that enable students to get to know some of the School’s research faculty with whom they can pursue their third-year research project.

Duke-NUS’ “Research in Action” cultivates future clinician-scientists
The students share a photo with Assoc Prof Johnny Ong after the interview // Courtesy of Lee Jin Wee
The students share a photo with Assoc Prof Johnny Ong after the interview // Courtesy of Lee Jin Wee
The students share a photo with Professor Pierce Chow // Courtesy of Yehya Nakaweh
The students share a photo with Professor Pierce Chow // Courtesy of Yehya Nakaweh

“It’s a great way for us to make connections with our professors,” said first-year student Mr Lucas Hou.

During this last session, some teams even included quizzes as part of their presentations to liven the atmosphere. They challenged their peers with research-focused questions as well as light-hearted trivia about their presentation, keeping the audience on their toes.

Through “Research in Action”, the students profile a total of 12 mentors by the end of the series, delving into key milestones of a mentor’s journey and research. They also include words of wisdom from their interview subjects that they passed on to the Class in their presentations.

Beyond its practical uses of introducing students to potential mentors, “Research in Action” left many students inspired to imagine a career as future clinician-scientists.

“It gives us more insight on what being a clinician researcher is like,” shared Ms Zhang Boya, who interviewed clinician-scientist Associate Professor Johnny Ong for the recent session.

As for her team-mate Mr Lee Jin Wee, the experience has inspired him to dream bigger: “It makes you think that perhaps one day I could do something in a similar vein too.”

Other research mentors whom the teams interviewed over the three sessions include Master Academic Clinicians Professor Pierce Chow and Professor Ong Biauw Chi, endocrine specialist Professor Paul Yen as well as director of the Duke-NUS Health Services and Systems Research Programme Professor Marcus Ong.