Back
Friday, 02 Aug, 2019
Former journalist, banker and nurse among new cohort of budding Clinicians Plus at Duke-NUS Medical School
- What do a former bank VP, journalist and nurse have in common with a recent polytechnic graduate? They are all among this year’s intake of future clinicians at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore’s only graduate medical school.
- Donning their white coats and reciting the Hippocratic Oath at the White Coat Ceremony today, the new medical students will form the School’s 13th batch since establishment.
Singapore, 2 August 2019 – From a former high-flying bank Vice President to ex-journalists and recent polytechnic graduates, freshmen of all stripes are being inducted into Duke-NUS Medical School’s 13th batch of future clinicians at its annual White Coat Ceremony held today at SingHealth’s Academia Auditorium. The new cohort comprises 81 students, with 17 holding Master’s Degrees and two with PhDs.
With their unconventional careers and rich academic experiences, these freshmen will continue to add depth and fresh perspectives to the future medical community they serve as they embark on their four-year journey at Duke-NUS. Given their backgrounds, many might become future Clinicians Plus - leaders, innovators, educators or scientists who will transform the medical landscape in Singapore.
The 13th batch of students includes the School’s most mature student, Lim Chun Chai, who begins his medical education at the age of 39. The former vice president at OCBC Bank Singapore decided to enter medical school after over almost a decade-long career in finance. Batch mates Sivanesh Sivarajan and Ong Wei Jie, both 29, are also making the transition from mid-career professionals – complete with commerce and accountancy degrees – to medical students.
Similarly embarking on an unconventional path to medicine, Hoe Pei Shan, 31, and Lisabel Ting, 30, are joining Duke-NUS on the back of a career in journalism. Hoe is leaving journalism after six years in the field, while Ting, who has a background in psychology, is stepping back from her social media and content agency.
This year’s students have displayed their tenacity in obtaining a medical education, overcoming their initial challenges to chase their dreams. Take for instance, Chen Zhengyong, 34, who was accepted into Duke-NUS after two rejections. Regardless, he kept his passion alive while serving as a nurse and educator, and he now brings with him unique strengths that could enhance his abilities to better serve future patients.
Among the incoming cohort are also two polytechnic graduates, Samuel Kwek and Michelle Fong, who hold undergraduate degrees in biological sciences and pharmacy respectively. Both of them remained steadfast about studying medicine and have worked their way steadily by pursuing related degrees after their polytechnic diplomas.
Professor Ian Curran, Vice-Dean of Education, Duke-NUS, remarked, “I am confident that the diverse backgrounds of our students will continue to add unique value to our healthcare eco-system. We will continue to nurture high quality clinicians who will serve Singaporeans and the needs of Singapore with compassion and distinction.”
Read stories from our new cohort here.
Class of 2023
About Duke-NUS Medical School
Duke-NUS is Singapore’s flagship graduate entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University School of Medicine and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Through an innovative curriculum, students at Duke-NUS are nurtured to become multi-faceted ‘Clinicians Plus’ poised to steer the healthcare and biomedical ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.
A leader in ground-breaking research and translational innovation, Duke-NUS has gained international renown through its five signature research programmes and nine centres. The enduring impact of its discoveries is amplified by its successful Academic Medicine partnership with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), Singapore’s largest healthcare group. This strategic alliance has spawned 15 Academic Clinical Programmes, which harness multi-disciplinary research and education to transform medicine and improve lives.
For more information, please visit www.duke-nus.edu.sg
For media enquiries, please contact:
Naseema Banu
Communications
Duke-NUS Medical School
Tel: +65 65162585
Hp: 9786 2673
Email: naseema@duke-nus.edu.sg