National University of Singapore

“Books only teach the hardware of medicine, but the software must come from interacting with patients in the community” – a simple philosophy aptly stated by Wee Liang En (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Year 2), who nurtures a passion in medicine and community work.
   Liang En is currently involved in the Neighbourhood Health Screening (NHS), a community service project organised by medical and nursing students. This programme provides medical care to needy residents staying in rental flats in Taman Jurong through free health screening and sending of volunteers (doctors and students) into the community so that their healthcare needs and health-seeking behaviours can be better managed.
   Liang En presented a paper on this project titled “The value of a student-initiated, faculty-supported community project: The Neighbourhood Health Screening” at the World Health Summit 2009 in Germany – he was one of the 10 medical students from around the world selected for this Summit. Having developed an interest in public health policy, Liang En found the Summit particularly insightful. It gave him a better understanding of the nuances of public health policy which would prove useful in the long run.
   Liang En feels that such community service projects are vital as they teach medical students to care more about the communities they are going to practice in. “What was unique about the NHS was that we brought the clinic to the resident,” he elaborated. “We found that students learnt about empathy for patients, developed a passion for public service and a commitment to care for the underserved. This will help them in their future careers.”

Having embarked on four major community projects in China, India and Mexico during her years at the University, Siti Hazirah Bte Mohamad’s (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences/University Scholars Programme Year 3) dedication and enthusiasm for reaching out to the less fortunate truly transcends boundaries.
   Recently in India on the Temasek Foundation-NUS Leadership Enrichment and Regional Networking programme, Hazirah volunteered with a local NGO Salaam Balaak Trust to work with street children in New Delhi and helped to set up a mini library at the NGO’s headquarters. She also worked with Tibetan refugees while travelling in Dharamsala.
   After her India stint, Hazirah volunteered with an organisation in Mexico called Feed The Children Vallarta where she taught English to Mexican children. Also participating in the FireFly programme, she distributed bread from a local bakery to dump workers and their families living around the garbage dump areas. “I was truly humbled by this experience and literally had to hold back tears,” recalled Hazirah. “I saw how people fed themselves in areas unimaginable to Singaporeans but I was also amazed at their resilient human spirit.”
   Hazirah’s interest in community work was piqued when she first participated in a community service trip to tsunami-hit Thailand during her Junior College days. It was an eye-opening experience which increased her motivation to volunteer further.
   Perceiving voluntary work as a lifelong vocation, Hazirah considers her volunteering efforts a small step towards making a difference. “Instead of being an armchair critic on the pitiful state of affairs involving poverty around the world, I decided I could do something about it and so I did and will continue to do so!” she said.