Medicine Is A Career Determined For Me

I believe medicine is a career that would challenge and inspire me on a daily basis, coupling practical science with human interaction and compassion. Experiencing daily routines of doctors in hospital placements and medical labs have offered me the opportunity to confirm that I am suited to a career in Medicine; being a lifelong learner, work well under pressure and function with minimal sleep.

At my hospital placements, I found doctors’ expectation of performing at their very best despite under pressure truly compelling. At Cardiac Unit ward, I saw doctors performing CPR for over an hour; despite of their best efforts, the patient did not make it. This clearly would be a physically and emotionally stressful situation, but the medical team remained calm, continued to communicate effectively and tried to achieve a positive outcome. Being able to overcome such setbacks effectively, but not at the expense of one's humanity takes remarkable spirit and resolve. This experience convinced me that I have the ability to do so and could cope and maintain professionalism in demanding circumstances.

During my years as a biomedical science student, I experienced how basic science interlinks with clinical medicine; and how they evolve into modern medicine today. My internships at medical research labs have allowed me to interpret raw patient data and appreciate how small findings can make a difference in diagnosis and treatments. My labs focused on mutation signatures of relapsed brain tumour using bioinformatics to plot diagrams, and to identifying new patterns in EEGs’ hoping to more accurately pin-point the origin of epilepsy in patients. An epileptic patient was not able to even walk and she won first place at sports day after a pin-point surgery. The happiness and gratefulness of the patient, her family and doctor really touched me deep in the heart.

I am still intrigued by how practical and realistic medical researches are; if I am able to discover a significant new EEG pattern to locate origin for epilepsy, it could be used in the future for anti-epileptic stimulation. While on a placement at a Paediatrics ward I learned the importance of mental health in supporting patients' recovery; medicine requires a holistic approach. Using specialised games to help identify their psychological states confirmed that I enjoy interaction with patients. I am aware that communicating on different levels, with empathy and clarity is crucial. I was recognized as an effective communicator and leader through my appointment as university international ambassador, bioscience and biomedical student representative and these positions have prepared me for the interpersonal aspects of medicine.

Prioritising and delegating tasks were also important in these roles, both essential skills as a doctor. I also spent time interacting with special needs, elderlies and orphanages at Yan Chai Hospital in HK; at first, it was a challenge when the attendees found me unfamiliar. However, I managed to break down these initial barriers and to build a close relationship from my perspective, fulfilling and heart-warming.