In our first issue this year, we explored how students from diverse academic backgrounds, including non-science degrees, are welcomed into medicine at Duke-NUS, and how precision medicine is reshaping cancer care with more targeted and less toxic treatments.
This time, we turn our attention to two frequent concerns: discovering your area of interest in biomedical research and securing a lab internship.
Gort a burning question about medical school, research or careers in science? We’d love to hear from you! Send your questions by clicking here! With expert perspectives from our Signature Research Programmes and Centres, and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, we’ve got all your queries covered!
Interested in biomedical research but how do I find something specific I like? -- @rodrigodlvg
This is a great question, as biomedical science is vast and diverse. An important mission of getting graduate level education from a PhD programme such as Duke-NUS Integrated Biology and Medicine (IBM) is to support our students in exploring different areas of research, and identify or develop your own career choices and areas of specialties based on your strengths and interest, which include pointing you towards potential opportunities. It is highly personal, and very versatile, as meaning changes over time. But the key to success, ultimately, is where your talent, passion and the opportunity to make an impact are all aligned. Perhaps the first step is to make a leap of faith -- join Duke-NUS as a PhD student!
Are you looking to take any laboratory interns at the moment? -- @itzzzroyyyy
Lab internships are a fantastic way to get hands-on experience -- and they are competitive, so being proactive helps. Unfortunately, Duke-NUS Human Resources does not have a direct repository of current lab internship roles. Individual laboratories put up openings for their own interns as and when they are needed.
We recommend reaching out directly to a principal investigator (PI) or professor whose work you’re genuinely interested in. If you already have a connection to someone in the field, that’s a great place to start. Otherwise, take some time to read up on labs whose research aligns with your goals, then send a polite, personalised email explaining your interest and background.
And don't worry if our first few emails don't lead to a placement -- factors like lab capacity, funding or timing can play a role. What matters is persistence. Keep connecting, keep applying, and eventually, the right opportunity will come.
