|
The 4th Duke NUS Alumni Dialogue was successfully organised on 8 May 2018. We were honoured to have Mr Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Health) as the guest speaker for the evening. Mr Tony Chew and Dr Melanie Chew were again our kind hosts.
The turnout was overwhelming with nearly 50 alumni turning up for the networking session which included a grand dinner followed by a dialogue session between the alumni, distinguished guests and the speaker.
|
|
We were delighted to have Prof Ho Teck Hua, NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost to join us for the occasion. Prior to the commencement of the dinner, guests took the chance to take photos with their alumni and friends. Many also took the rare occasion to catch up with past alumni and teachers. They were also introduced to the invited guest speaker for the night as well as senior leaders from SingHealth and Duke-NUS.
|
The networking session started with all the invited guests being treated to a sumptuous spread of fine dining. After the dinner, Perm Sec Chan Heng Kee spoke about "Sustainable Healthcare: Mission Im(possible)". Dr Olivia Tan, Class of 2015 moderated and fielded questions from guests.
Following the conclusion of the talk, Dr Ruan Xucong, Class of 2017 presented the Duke Stone to PS Chan as a token of appreciation. The night ended with all the attendees taking a group photo.
Special thanks to the following alumni who had undertaken key roles during the Dialogue:
- Dr Maverick Uy, Class of 2013, President of Duke-NUS Alumni Association
- Dr Eric Cher, Class of 2014
- Dr Olivia Tan, Class of 2015
- Dr Ruan Xu Cong, Class of 2017
|
|
Last September 2018, Duke-NUS' Student Affairs and Alumni Relations hosted a Student Town Hall to give students a chance to have a dialogue with Duke-NUS and SingHealth leadership. On the agenda were recent MD curriculum updates, a review of the current residency landscape as well as a Q&A session with leadership. Students from all four years and the MD-PhD programme were in attendance. Dr Maverick Uy, President of the Duke-NUS Alumni Association, was also present as a representative of the Duke-NUS Medical Alumni.
Assistant Professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi, Associate Dean of Educational Strategies & Programme Development, opened the Town Hall by discussing recently implemented curriculum changes that included the integration of clinical time and Family Medicine into the research year in order to give students more clinical exposure. Then, Associate Professor Tan Hak Koon, SingHealth Residency Designated Institutional Official (DIO), gave an overview of the residency landscape and how from 2019 onwards there will be no direct entry to residencies for final year medical students in Singapore. Finally, faculty, alumni and students reviewed careers and residency opportunities in Singapore, moving forward. Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School, also addressed the recent suspension of the US residency programme, citing the discussions between MOH and the school that led to the decision.
The Q&A session was a lively one that had Dr Maverick Uy asking the panel of Professor Ian Curran, Duke-NUS Vice-Dean of Education, Assistant Professor Ng Yee Sien, Duke-NUS Assistant Dean of Professional Support and Development, Professor Lim Soon Thye, Duke-NUS Associate Dean of MD Programme and Associate Professor Tan Hak Koon, about the employment prospects in Singapore for graduates. Dr Tan shared that there will be a many opportunities for doctors to practice in the various polyclinics, specialist centres and community hospitals that are set to open on the island. Dr Tan also reiterated that there is no discrimination between local and foreign graduates of the three Singaporean medical schools when it comes to securing a residency position.
There were many points raised at the Town Hall that showed that the students, alumni and management of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre are concerned and committed to ensuring the success of Duke-NUS graduates.
|
