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Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Record 121 graduate from Duke-NUS Medical School; some had jobs in law, public relations, accounting
This was the largest number of graduates for a class in the school's 20-year history. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Record 121 graduate from Duke-NUS Medical School; some had jobs in law, public relations, accounting SINGAPORE – With no background in science, Dr Faith Wong pursued her calling of becoming a doctor at the age of 40. The mother of one previously graduated with a degree in modelmaking from Arts University Bournemouth and then worked in the animation industry. She had suffered depression as a teenager, which was subsequently diagnosed as bipolar disorder, and the experience led her to want to become a doctor. On May 31, the now 44-year-old fulfilled that wish and was among 121 graduates from Duke-NUS Medical School at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium at Academia located at the Singapore General Hospital Campus. This was the largest number of graduates for a class in its 20-year history. Dr Wong was among the 41 per cent of the 72 doctor of medicine graduates who made mid-career switches from fields such as law, public relations, accounting and mental health support. The other 49 of the 121 graduated with PhDs or master's degrees. When she was 16, Dr Wong suffered from depression, but it was subsequently diagnosed as bipolar disorder. What kept her going was her Catholic faith, therapies and healthcare workers who never gave up on her. She was a senior peer support specialist at the Institute of Mental Health and left in 2021 to attend medical school. She said: 'I found myself deeply reflecting and praying about how best to serve others with this second lease of life. The answer that came to me, very clearly and consistently, was to become a doctor.' One major hurdle was taking the Medical College Admissions Test before entry into the Duke-NUS medicine programme after not taking a major science exam for about two decades. She said: 'For the first three months, biochemistry felt like reading a foreign language.' She spent most weekday nights and weekends studying while juggling her family responsibilities. Clinical rotations were also physically gruelling for her at first, but her stamina improved. 'There were times it felt almost impossible. But what made the difference was the unwavering support I received,' she said. She found hands-on assignments such as dissection work engaging. Her creative thinking skills also helped her approach clinical problems from fresh angles, sometimes offering perspectives that differed from those with more trad itional science train ing . Her ultimate goal is to establish an emergency mental health respite care centre in Singapore, a place where people can walk in and seek help, said Dr Wong. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who was guest of honour at the event, congratulated the graduates and acknowledged that they had taken a longer path to become medical doctors, with some whose first degrees were unrelated to medicine or science. He encouraged them to be resilient and optimistic. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung taking a picture with Duke-NUS Medical School graduates on May 31. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Mr Ong said patient load is high in hospitals, night calls are long, and demanding patients may even file complaints against them with the Singapore Medical Council. He added: 'I want to assure you, this is normal and par for the course. These are the inherent challenges of the profession that you have chosen, and you can overcome (them).' He said Singapore is responding proactively to an ageing world population, medical technological advancements and a global shortage of healthcare workers, which demand healthcare transformation. Besides investing in community care systems and infrastructure, among other things, Singapore is also using more digital and artificial intelligence (AI) technology in healthcare, he said. Mr Ong added: 'They will not replace healthcare workers and the judgment of doctors, but they will remove tedious tasks, augment capabilities and create new opportunities.' He was joined by Duke-NUS dean Thomas C offman and Dr Amy Abernethy, co-founder of healthcare start-up Highlander Health. Another graduate, Dr Loh De Rong, 28, hopes to combine his engineering background and medical knowledge to improve healthcare systems and patient outcomes. He is among the first batch of graduates from a special programme where Duke-NUS offers conditional admissions to pre-university students from other fields to pursue medical studies. Under the programme, which was launched in 2017, interested students can first apply to take undergraduate studies at one of Duke-NUS' partner universities before going on to Duke-NUS Medical School to study medicine at a postgraduate le vel. They undergo undergraduate studies for three or four years, then spend four more years at the postgraduate medical sch ool. A graduate from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Dr Loh studied computer science, focusing on machine learning and software engineering. He said: 'As medicine continues to evolve in the AI era, I hope to contribute to clinical AI projects and be well positioned to critically evaluate how such tools are applied in healthcare.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
New Paper
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
May babies: Actress Grace Wong's daughter born in same month as her and husband
From now on, Hong Kong actress Grace Wong will be holding three birthday celebrations in the month of May. Wong, who turned 39 on May 5, announced on social media on May 29 the birth of her first child via natural delivery. Her non-celebrity husband Daniel Chang, also 39, was born on May 15. Wong wrote in Chinese: "I always thought I would be the kind of career woman who picked a date for a caesarean section and gave her baby formula milk. "But as I formed a relationship with my baby during the nine months of pregnancy, she seemed to tell me that I could do it. I did more research and wanted to give her the best within my capabilities." She thanked her doctor for giving her the confidence to change her choice of delivery method in the last four months of her pregnancy. "It really worked out in the end as our baby girl was born naturally," Wong wrote, revealing that her daughter's name is Audrey Chang. "She is very special as she arrived past 12am, so her birthday is next to her dad's birthday," she added. "I wonder if she will be a daddy's girl in the future." She thanked her husband for accompanying her throughout the journey and for being her biggest cheerleader, adding: "You're gonna be the best daddy." She also thanked the medical team at Hong Kong's Union Hospital. "We felt very loved and supported during our stay," she wrote in English. "Thanks for celebrating Danny's birthday and Mother's Day with me as well." Using hashtags such as #MayBabies, she added: "Off to a new season with our little one. We love you so much and can't wait to see you grow up." The first runner-up of the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 2007, Wong is best known for starring in the TVB martial arts drama A Fist Within Four Walls (2016). Her role as Fa Man was named Most Popular Female Character at the TVB Anniversary Awards in 2016. In 2016, she announced her engagement to Mr Chang, whom she had dated for 11 years. In 2017, they held two wedding ceremonies in the United States and Hong Kong. Wong announced in December 2021 that she was leaving TVB after 14 years with the Hong Kong broadcaster. She took part in Chinese dance survival show Great Dance Crew in 2022 and is also a singer now.
The Star
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Upgrade in bilateral ties
Solid partnership: Macron (left) shaking hands with Wong after both countries signed multiple bilateral agreements. — AP France and Singapore will expand cooperation in areas such as civilian nuclear energy, intelligence sharing and defence technology, upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP). This is Singapore's first CSP with a European country – an upgrade to a strategic partnership signed in 2012 – and was announced by both countries at a joint press conference yesterday. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the exchange of 13 agreements at a ceremony in Parliament House on the second day of a state visit by Macron. At a joint press conference following the exchange, Wong said in an uncertain world, it is even more important for like-minded countries like France and Singapore to work together. He said: 'That's why President Macron and I have agreed to upgrade our bilateral ties with a comprehensive strategic partnership. This will deepen our cooperation in existing sectors and expand our collaboration in new areas like decarbonisation and digitalisation.' Speaking in French, Macron said the comprehensive strategic partnership signifies the deep trust between the countries, and added his hopes for further cooperation in the business domain. On nuclear energy, the countries signed agreements to facilitate cooperation on safety, workforce development, research, environmental protection, the protection of public health and emergency preparedness and response, amongst others. Solid partnership: Macron (left) shaking hands with Wong after both countries signed multiple bilateral agreements. — AP Wong said the agreements will help Singapore tap French expertise in the field as it explores the possibility for civilian nuclear energy. Turning to defence, Wong said the domain has always been a 'pillar' of the relationship between the two countries. He said: 'Under the new partnership, we will enhance cooperation in other areas, including deployment defence technology and critical and emerging technologies. 'We will also reinforce the journey of cooperation, including by establishing a senior officials dialogue'. The countries exchanged three agreements to deepen and expand their defence relationship across multiple domains of mutual interest and shared expertise, including non-traditional domains like digital defence. They also provide for the enhancement of a joint research and development laboratory established in 2023 to develop artificial intelligence capabilities. They also signed an agreement facilitating the sharing and mutual protection of classified information between France and Singapore. Known as the France-Singapore General Security Agreement, it will support and deepen security cooperation in areas of mutual interest beyond defence, including counter-terrorism and cybersecurity. Both countries also agreed to work together on technical and vocational education, and unveiled a roadmap to deepen collaboration on digital policy and innovation. The state visit also commemorates 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and France. — The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
‘It is a breach of humanitarian law'
Israel may be in breach of international law by restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, says Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Wong said: 'The restrictions imposed on the delivery of humanitarian supplies are completely unacceptable. In our opinion, it may even be a likely breach of international humanitarian law. So it cannot be justified.' While Singapore has always said that Israel has the right to defend itself, it has 'gone too far and its actions have caused a terrible humanitarian disaster', he added. Wong also reiterated that Singapore supports the right of the Palestinian people to their homeland through a negotiated two-state solution, beyond the current crisis. It joins countries around the world to call for an immediate ceasefire, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and the return of hostages, he added. There are international efforts on a ceasefire as well as a road map towards a two-state solution, he added, noting Singapore's participation in an international conference in June – co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia – to work towards a solution. The June conference – organised by the United Nations – plans to achieve concrete solutions to end the conflict. Its working groups include security arrangements for both Israelis and Palestinians, the economic viability of a Palestinian State, and humanitarian action and reconstruction. Wong was answering a question posed to Macron by a French media outlet on Europe's stance on the conflict, and whether the European Union was considering sanctions on Israel. Macron, who spoke first, said all will depend on choices made by the Israeli government in the coming days and 'it is very clear that we cannot allow the situation to continue'. He said the blockade on the delivery of humanitarian aid has made the situation on the ground unbearable. Macron said: 'All the humanitarian aid coming from all around the world is being blocked by the Israeli army. 'This is not acceptable.' If there is no response in line with the humanitarian situation in Gaza 'in the coming hours and days ... we will have to harden our collective position', he added. He added that Europe may have to apply sanctions, but he has hope that the Israel will change its stance and allow aid. Macron said: 'France will contribute to putting together this conference in New York in June, and I had a very important discussion with the prime minister here on our cooperation in the context of this conference.' The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified following the resumption of Israel's assault since March after the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire. On March 2, two weeks before the resumption of its military offensive, Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Gaza. In a statement on May 20, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all parties involved to refrain from taking unilateral actions that hinder the peace process. It reiterated Singapore's calls for the 'immediate, full resumption' of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and for a ceasefire to be implemented immediately. — The Straits Times/ANN
Borneo Post
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Major RM10 mln water project to end supply woes in Sg Maaw, Paradom
Wong (third left) and others during a site inspection on the project site at Sungai Maaw. SIBU (May 31): Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday conducted an inspection on a major infrastructure project involving the laying of a new water pipe to replace the existing pipeline in the Sungai Maaw and Paradom areas. The project is valued at over RM10 million. Wong was accompanied by local leaders from the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), including PDP Paradom Community Service Committee chairman Ting Hung Hua, and community leader Kapitan Hii Ching Yii. 'Once the project has reached completion, residents in these areas will no longer face water supply issues,' said Wong when met during the visit. In addition, he also inspected a newly-completed road project near Chung Cheng Secondary School, which was meant to help ease traffic congestion, particularly during the peak hours.
