Welcome to Singapore! How long have you been in Singapore and what have you been doing since you arrived?
I have been in Singapore for just over a year now, after moving from London for my husband’s job. I spent the first few months settling in and exploring and then started a part time job working at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (a part of NTU) as an education associate for medical education. I worked on curriculum review projects and helped with communication skills teaching for the medical students. I was doing that until starting at the clinic.
You trained at Imperial College London. What is your favourite area of London?
I feel like London has been constantly evolving that even after studying and working there for years, I am always discovering newly revamped favourite areas. I have always liked the Marylebone area for its shopping and memories of many fun catch ups with friends at various places around there over the years, and more recently enjoy spending a lazy summer weekend at Granary Square Kings Cross – watching kids enjoying the dancing fountains on a sunny day whilst having brunch at a place nearby highlights London at its best.
You are arriving at IMC in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. What advise do you have for people?
In Singapore we are lucky to have received such clear and timely communication from the government. My advice would be to not panic, to stay on top of government messages and advice and to be responsible with social distancing and only going out when necessary. The latest guidance to stay home except for essential outings will help us to control the Covid-19 outbreak in Singapore, and the more we all do to help, the easier it will be to get through this as a community. At the same time, if you do start to have symptoms or feel unwell, always call your clinic to ask to see a doctor, we will still be here to see and assess you and ensure that you get better!
Why did you decide to become a Doctor?
I decided quite late that I wanted to study medicine. I studied a mix of subjects until the end of my first year of A Levels, and found that I enjoyed sciences as well as the humanities. Ultimately it was the curiosity of learning more about the complexities of the human body and physiology that swayed me to study medicine. And this coupled with the idea that the career would involve a lot of variety as well as be people-based and interactive, drew me to the profession. Being a doctor gives you the unique opportunity to meet a wide range of people, an experience I have always enjoyed and learned from.
You are experienced in Women’s Health. Why do you enjoy this area of practice?
I enjoy this area becomes of the challenge it sometimes presents. No two women are the same and therefore sometimes they may appear to have the same problem but the reasons for it and management will be different. Women’s health can be a mix of everything and a holistic approach is always best, which I feel allows you to get to know your patient better. And finally if you can help and solve their problem, it is always great to see the significant impact it can have for them and their well being.
You are joining the busy Jelita clinic. What are you most looking forward to?
I’ve heard the Jelita team are very friendly so I’m looking forward to joining them and becoming a part of their team. I also know that the Jelita area is very family orientated and so I’m looking forward to meeting a mix of patients in my practice.
