SingHealth Scholars & Trailblazers

“Pursuing an overseas degree was my top choice and SingHealth provided me with an opportunity to pursue my passion in Orthoptics in Sydney, Australia. I get to experience a different culture and to learn in a different environment. Nobel Prize winning author, Anatole France once said, “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” I dreamt and believed. As a SingHealth scholar, I am able to follow my dreams, and equip myself for this challenging yet rewarding profession.”

Tan Yi Ling, Orthoptics
Year of Scholarship Award: 2008
Expected year of Graduation: 2012

“Being a SingHealth scholar motivates me to excel in my studies. The financial support allows me to concentrate on my studies and help me gain overseas experiences. In addition, the SingHealth HR team has been very supportive and efficient in taking care of our needs. The promise of a career with the Singapore General Hospital upon graduation makes this one of the best choices I have ever made.”

Tan Yi Yan, Physiotherapy
Year of Scholarship Award: 2008
Expected year of Graduation : 2012

“As a SingHealth scholar, I had the opportunity to attend events such as the Inaugural Allied Health Community Day where I could meet and network with other Allied Health Professionals working in SingHealth. I also met fellow SingHealth scholars and not only do we help one another in our studies, but also allows us to build a good rapport before we start working together in future.

Apart from providing financial assistance for my studies, SingHealth staff has been generous in offering compliments and encouragements, further motivating me to excel in my studies.  They are so friendly and approachable people that I can turn to if I have any problems during my course of study.”

Irene Chu, Physiotherapy
Year of Scholarship Award: 2010
Expected year of Graduation : 2014

“SingHealth arranged for pre-school English language courses for the students whose first language was not English. Because of the courses, I am better prepared during my school terms. This is just one of the examples where SingHealth understood the needs of different students and made appropriate arrangements.

As a SingHealth scholar, I can foresee various opportunities for us to progress, such as becoming senior Staff Nurses, Nurse Coordinator/Nurse Clinician/Nurse managers/Senior nurse managers or becoming a clinical instructor.”

Yin Yapei, Nursing
Year of Scholarship Award: 2008
Expected year of Graduation: 2012

"Being a SingHealth scholar has provided me the opportunity to work in Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the biggest hospital in Singapore. I had the opportunity to work in specialised areas such as the Burns unit which is only in SGH. In addition, I am able to experience what it was like to work with a large number of different departments and specialisations in SGH. Although challenging at times, it was fulfilling as I gained valuable clinical experiences and would definitely help me in becoming a versatile clinician. 

In addition, being a SingHealth scholar has allowed me to participate in SingHealth corporate events such as Education and Career Seminars in various schools, as well as the 2011 SingHealth Excellence Award Ceremony. These corporate events not only provided me the rare exposure towards corporate event management, but it has also given me the opportunity to work with other team members of the SingHealth family.

Most importantly, SingHealth ensures that there’s a smooth and worthwhile pathway in education as well as in career for the scholars. With an efficient human resource team and a knowledgeable team of health care professionals, SingHealth will make sure that you are equipped with the necessary skills in aiding patients in their recovery."

Alex Lin Liecong, Physiotherapy
Year of Scholarship Award: 2008
Expected year of Graduation: 2012

Nursing has always been my passion since young. I am extremely privileged to receive the SingHealth Alice Lee IAN scholarship to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Nursing (Post Registration) in the University of Sydney. Studying overseas has been an invaluable opportunity for both my personal and professional growth. Besides giving me the chance to learn in a different environment, it has also broadened my horizons. In addition, studying abroad has helped to develop skills and give me the experiences which a classroom setting will never provide.

As a SingHealth scholar, I was given the flexibility to choose the preferred university for my study. Secondly, I am able to focus on my studies without having to worry about tuition fees and daily expenses. Looking back, a year into my job, I know that I have made the right choice. The scholarship has equipped me well for the exciting challenges ahead. At the end of the day, there is immense job satisfaction, knowing that I am pursuing my dream and making a difference.

Kirk Hui Ping Angela, Nursing
Year of Scholarship Award: 2009
Graduated and currently working at SGH

Jasmine Chen
Senior Staff Nurse, Major Operating Theatre
KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH)

An award-winning nurse and ex-competitive dragonboater, Jasmine Chen knows that teamwork is critical to the success in her work and competitions. She has been assisting in obstetric, gynaecology at KKH for close to six years and currently paediatric cardio-thoracic surgeries too. A senior staff nurse who is passionate about her work, Jasmine enjoys playing a part in improving the well-being of her patients. Although working "behind-the-scenes" in the operting theatre means that patients may not be aware of how she helps them, this does not stop Jasmine from giving them the best possible care in every operation.

The keen learner is not afraid to try new things and constantly upgrades herself to stay ahead. In addition, Jasmine also participates actively in community services overseas to help bring healthcare services to the people who need them. She has served thrice at the Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, assisting with cardiac surgeries for children. In 2010, she travelled to Dhaka, Bangladesh with Operation Smile Singapore, an international organisation that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children suffering from facial deformities.

Always willing to lend a helping hand to her patients, Jasmine hopes to further her studies in nursing to become a Nurse Clinician in the future.

Chia Tat Jin
Senior Staff Nurse
Cardiothoracic Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CTSICU)
National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS)

Tat Jin is a member of the nursing team at NHC's CTSICU. Working in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) means that Tat Jin needs to be constantly alert to the critical needs of his patients. While his previous working stint at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) neurology ICU for close to two years has definitely prepared him for his current role, Tat Jin feels that nurses must continue to learn and accumulate more experience on the job. With experience comes the ability to foresee potential issues and intervene in time to prevent them occurring; with continuous learning, comes the knowledge to advance nursing care.

Tat Jin was awarded the SingHealth Alice Lee-Institute of Advanced Nursing Scholarship in 2007 and completed his Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2009. Always eager to enhance his understanding of nursing, he is now studying for his Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Critical Care).

The senior staff nurse is also a service role model for junior colleagues and has clinched numerous service awards since he began his nursing career at SingHealth in 2002. Tat Jin takes pride in providing the best possible care for patients and aspires to take on greater roles in the treatment and care for patients.

Marabelle Heng
Podiatrist
Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Marabelle has a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular/Cell Biology & Public Policy Economics from the National University of Singapore. She was awarded a Singapore General Hospital scholarship for full time studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Podiatry degree from the University of South Australia in 2008.

As a podiatrist at SGH, Marabelle assesses, diagnoses and treats a variety of lower limb disorders, which range from diabetic foot conditions, biomechanics, dermatological (skin and nails) conditions and nail surgery. An active volunteer with the Diabetes Society of Singapore, Marabelle helps to address the foot ailments of diabetes patients as a community podiatrist.

She is also passionate about paediatric podiatry and has been featured in the media for her exper view on foot care for childre. Her other interests are in sports and dance podiatry. She is also a keen ambassador of foot health and has given public education talks on common foot ailments and how to manage diabetic foot conditions. As an active member of the podiatry faculty in Singapore, Marabelle also helps to raise public awareness of the profession as the Vice-President for the Podiatry Association of Singapore.

Ms Goh Chin Chin
Clinic Pharmacy Manager
SingHealth Polyclinics – Pasir Ris

Chin Chin started her career at SingHealth Polyclinics-Tampines as a pharmacist and has risen steadily through the ranks. She is a passionate pharmacy leader and has contributed to the success of SingHealth Polyclinics' pharmacy initiatives. She believes strongly in SingHealth’s three pillars of Patient Care, Education and Research as being integral in defining tomorrow’s Medicine.

She is particularly active in research, having submitted papers at national and regional events such as the Federation of Asian Pharmacy Associations (FAPA) Congress and also at the MOH Clinical Quality Improvement.

Her research projects include:

• "Medication Adherence Among Patients in SingHealth Polyclinics" - presented the findings at FAPA Congress in 2008
• "Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of patients on MDI Technique In A Primary Health Care Setting" - the project won best poster presentation award at Ist International Conference On Healthcare Transformation - Primary Healthcare Focus 2008
• "Reduction of Asthmatic Patients Acute Exacerbation at SingHealth Polyclinics - Pasir Ris" - the project won second runner-up in MOH Clinical Quality Improvement Poster Compeitition 2006.

She is also involved in training junior pharmacy staff and conducting talks at public forums. In addition, she also balances her work with other interests such as volunteerism and sports. She has represented SingHealth Polyclinics at a number of community and outreach events.

Dr Andrea Kwa
Pharmacy Clinician Scientist (Inpatient)
Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Dr Kwa achieved her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy, New York, USA, in 2006. She also attained Added Qualifications in Infectious Diseases in Pharmacotherapy from the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties, USA, in 2007.

Dr Kwa’s area of specialty is in critical care medicine, infectious diseases and anti-infective research. She is a reviewer for numerous scientific journals including Cochrane Review, Expert Review in Anti-infective Therapy, Clinical Infectious Disease, and Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Disease.

A passionate researcher, Dr Kwa obtained a grant from the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) in 2007 to run in-vitro experiments on multi-drug resistant bacteria. Since then many lives have been saved through translation of the results from this research to bedside practice.

Apart from research, Dr Kwa is also a trained Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) pharmacist, and co-manages patients in the surgical intensive care unit with intensivists. She aims to improve the clinical outcomes of the critically ill and has co-authored several clinical papers on the subject. Dr Kwa is also a faculty member of the SGH Postgraduate Allied Health Institute and the Program Director of the infectious diseases pharmacy residency programme.