Student Stories

To start off, I had an amazing host of professors and lecturers who have inspired not just myself but my classmates as well, to go out and be the best public health practitioners we can be. I would like to thank all the faculty members who have taught me, with particular shout-outs to Prof Chia Kee Seng for giving me anxiety attacks whenever I learnt he was going to guest lecture; Prof Seow Wei Jie, for doing an amazing job in advanced epidemiology; and Prof Alex Cook, for being my academic advisor and practicum supervisor.

I would also like to thank the administrative staff for being the bedrock of the school. Without them, nothing would run or function, and I have had first-hand experience in understanding all the work that goes on behind the scenes so that everything runs seamlessly.

To my fellow graduates, congratulations on making it through a gruelling one- to three-year programme. We’ve all come a long way since enrolment, and I am sure that we have all learnt a lot from the classes and each other. It is my hope that we will put to good use all that we have learnt.

I think the quality of the faculty and students at SSHSPH is what sets us apart. While there are many public health schools overseas, I’m certain that the diversity of both staff and students in NUS is unrivalled. Our professors do not come from just purely academic backgrounds but they also have industry experience, and the courses are structured such that we are encouraged to closely interact with talented and experienced instructors. The student life here is also stimulating. My fondest experience is meeting the students, especially those who are way more advanced in their careers, and receiving their advice on potential paths that I can take.

On top of such an enriching and rigorous curriculum, the thing that stood out the most was how many interviews I was suddenly being invited for. As an undergraduate from a private university, it was something that I had not really experienced before. In fact, I started work last month at the Health Promotion Board, under the policy, research and surveillance division. The classes on introductory health policy analysis, advanced epidemiology and research methods will definitely come in handy. That is another advantage of studying at SSHSPH: the modules we take have real-world application.

But besides the academic classes, there are three lessons I believe every SSHSPH student should take home with them after graduation. Firstly, be self-aware. Be aware of what you are good at and what you are not good at. It may come as quite a shock when you suddenly realise that you are not as proficient in a particular area as you thought you were, but always remember that it is okay to not be good at everything. With self-awareness, you become open to learning and humble to other people’s experiences. The second lesson is to be humble. We are privileged in Singapore to have opportunities in almost every aspect of life. In order to progress and do well by our family and country, we have to be humble and learn how to help others. Lastly, keep learning. There is so much information out there, it is impossible to ever run out of things to learn. Keep your curiosity alive, and reach out for new ideas all the time.