News: The Making of LKCMedicine’s Class of 2025: A Journey of Grit and Growth

By Retna Devi, Senior Assistant Manager, Media and Publications

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit our shores and upended our daily lives.

For 161 students, that year had added significance. It marked the start of their medical education as they matriculated at LKCMedicine. The road to becoming a doctor is an undeniably a challenging one, but to do so during a period of unprecedented global uncertainty meant that they were diving into the unknown. 

And yet, these very students rose to the challenge, charting their own journeys and making their time at LKCMedicine more than about adapting to social distancing measures and circuit breakers. 

Fast forward five years, LKCMedicine’s eighth cohort is ready to graduate on 26 July 2025 and pursue the next phase of their lives – to be doctors who are committed to putting patients at the centre of their exemplary care. 

Discover some of the stories of the Class of 2025 below: 

Dr Vong Tin Wai, Keith
House Officer, Woodlands Health Campus

What was it like beginning your medical journey amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

To be honest, I thought entering medical school in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic would take away the most exciting and crucial aspects of a university experience.

However, as time went on, my friends and I managed to adapt and make the most of the situation. Our Zoom meetings were an equally effective way for us to learn and study together, and most importantly, for us to build rapport and lasting friendships. We cherished every opportunity that we got to meet in person for Science Practical and even arranged to do Team-Based Learning together at each other’s houses when the pandemic regulations permitted it. 

All these experiences, though slightly muted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are still some of my favourite memories of my time in LKCMedicine.

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your fives years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

One of the most defining aspects of my student life was being part of the NTU Dragon Boat Team, which I joined from my early years in medical school. Training alongside national-level student athletes and competing in various local and international regattas was both physically and mentally demanding. We also had the honour of representing Singapore at the International Dragon Boat Race in Macau, where we attained a silver medal. Balancing this commitment with the academic rigours of medicine required a great deal of discipline, time management, and resilience. There were times I felt stretched thin, especially during exam seasons or when major regattas coincided with clinical postings. Thankfully, I had my teammates who trained alongside me rain or shine, and classmates who encouraged me, studied with me and reminded me I was not alone in the struggle.

Another unforgettable moment would probably be the day that we received our MBBS results. I remember being gathered in the Cynthia Goh House Room together with my closest friends; our hearts racing, hands trembling with a mix of excitement, fear, and disbelief.

When the results were released, there was a moment of silence, followed by an eruption of relief, laughter, and even a few tears. We looked around at each other not as classmates, but as people who had grown together, struggled together, and made it through one of the most demanding journeys of our lives.

I will never forget that moment where we officially became doctors, not just on paper, but in spirit as well. From medical students filled with doubt and uncertainty to doctors ready to carry the responsibility of caring for others.

How has LKCMedicine prepared you for your practice as a doctor?

I believe the curriculum at LKCMedicine truly set me up for success in my practice as a House Officer now. The great emphasis on clinical knowledge together with soft skills like patient communication and teamwork paved a smooth path for us graduates to assimilate into the working world.

The Student Assistantship Programme [in Year 5] was arguably the most crucial part in providing us the necessary on-the-ground experience (e.g. calling families, filling up discharge summaries, making inpatient referrals and calling for scans) to have a seamless transition into the hospital working environment as a Postgraduate Year 1.

Dr Raksha Aiyappan
House Officer, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

What did being a doctor mean to you when you joined LKCMedicine and how has that changed?

Before joining LKCMedicine and even in the early years of being a student, I had so many ideas about which specialty I wanted to pursue and the name I wanted to make for myself.

That has definitely changed over the last five years and since starting work and interacting with patients every day. I have realised it is not the accolades but the extra moments you take to think about the patient as a person rather than a problem to be solved that makes you a good doctor.

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your five years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

LKCMedicine has been one of the best things that ever happened to me, and I will always be grateful for everything the School has taught me! I am so grateful for every guiding figure and peer at every step of the way. 

If I had to pick a standout moment, it would be my Scholarly Project [in Year 4]. I worked with a SGH Internal Medicine consultant, who  had a special interest in global health, to investigate barriers and facilitators faced by migrant workers accessing care for chronic diseases. We did this through surveys and interviews with patients at SGH. 

One of the Tamil migrant worker patients had issues communicating with the medical team and had some misunderstanding about his condition, which I picked up during my survey. I liaised with his primary medical team to re-explain his options to him which changed the course of his care management. He thanked me and said it was like his sister was in Singapore with him.

I also participated in a lot of initiatives in School and I feel they each contributed to my growth in their own special way. One of the most notable was being project director of Camp Simba, joint project among the three medical schools in Singapore, which organises a camp for children whose relatives have been diagnosed with cancer. The aim is to create a community for them to rely on when the going gets tough. We plan fun games and activities, and also help them learn emotional adaptive skills for difficult situations that they should not have to go through at this age.

What does the future look like for you?

I want to choose a specialty and then eventually complete a master’s in public health, and go on to conducting research into healthcare access for various minority groups in Singapore!

Dr Lim Rong
House Officer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your five years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

There was a myriad of experiences that were memorable. I think one of my favourite experiences was going to the United Kingdom for my Overseas Electives. I learnt a lot from my time at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital, and I had a great time touring Europe in my spare time.

I enjoyed living with my friends and having that shared experience together. I remember the nights we watched movies and cooked dinner for one another. It is certainly one of the highlights of my journey at LKCMedicine! 

Another would be serving my peers as part of the LKCMedicine Students' Medical Society (LKCMedSoc) in various capacities. Most notably, I was President of LKCMedSoc in Year 4. Of course, it was a great privilege to serve my peers and to advocate for their interests.

As a former LKCMedSoc president, what are you most proud of?

One of the things I am very proud of during my tenure was our involvement in LKCMedicine’s new chapter, ahead of the conclusion of its successful partnership with Imperial College London in 2028. The School actively involved LKCMedSoc in many aspects, including curriculum reform, infrastructure, and public image. I am very happy that my peers and I got to play an active role in shaping the future of our School

Another initiative that I am proud of is our book project, History Taking, History Making: Walking into Singapore’s Medical Story, that documented the history of medicine in Singapore. We wanted to give our students the opportunity to interview several medical luminaries in Singapore, and to compile their experiences in a book that would be distributed to other students, healthcare professionals, and the general public.

I am heartened by the team’s work, and we hope the book captures the wisdom of these luminaries and inspires the next generation of students and junior doctors to follow in their footsteps.

How has LKCMedicine prepared you for your practice as a doctor?

Communication. Content is a given in any medical curriculum, however, learning how to apply the content and have good communication is difficult to teach. The curriculum at LKCMedicine has a progressive approach to teaching clinical communication, and we are exposed to a variety of clinical scenarios during our simulations. I found this useful as I transitioned to doctor and communication becomes a large part of my work.

With this training part of my foundation, I aim to be a knowledgeable and compassionate doctor. It will take me years to master this craft, but I hope that one day I have the ability and the finesse to provide excellent care for my patients.

As I become more experienced, I would like to contribute back to LKCMedicine as a tutor, and to my healthcare institution or country.

Dr Muhammad Ariffin
House Officer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

What did being a doctor mean to you when you joined LKCMedicine and how has that changed?

As we progress from being accepted to medical school, to attending lectures, to clinicals, to actually starting work, you inevitably gain greater perspective on what it means to be a doctor.

Right now, being a good doctor to me means being a good House Officer (HO). This involves being responsible for my patients and doing the best that I can for them despite being the most junior member on the team. And as I continue progressing further into my career, I look forward to redefining medicine further for myself.

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your five years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

Over the five years, there have been many interesting moments from being involved in LKCMedSoc’s Academic Committee to going to London for the Imperial Immersion Week.  If I had to pick, I would choose being nominated to be a student representative in the Professional Growth Workgroup and the official last day of School. 

Being part of a workgroup to develop Professional Growth, a new programme to foster mental wellbeing and a strong professional identity as part of LKCMedicine’s curriculum enhancements in 2024 was not something I expected, but it was certainly a positive experience. I am glad that I could share my feedback on the type of mental health topics that would be helpful for students and be part of something that would benefit my juniors.

The last day of school is a bittersweet memory. Seeing all my peers for one last time and saying my goodbyes before we all went our separate ways and began working as HOs is something I will continue to look back on fondly.

How has LKCMedicine prepared you for your practice as a doctor?

Apart from medical knowledge and skills, one of the most applicable skills that has helped me as a HO is time management. As a HO, the work never truly ends and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, so having good time management and knowing how to prioritise different tasks is important for us keep pace at work.

Dr Patricia Tung Hui Ru
House Officer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

What was it like beginning your medical journey amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

Starting medical school during COVID-19 definitely made things feel uncertain. We heard stories about seniors missing out on clinical postings, and there was always that worry in the back of our minds: Would we get enough hands-on experience to graduate as confident doctors? 

Looking back, I think our batch was actually quite lucky. We got a taste of both worlds –  the fully virtual era and then the gradual return to physical lessons and hospital postings.

During the peak of the pandemic, I was also part of an LKCMedicine Local Community Involvement Project (LCIP) that collaborated with Tan Tock Seng Hospital to organise para-nursing sessions for LKCMedicine students.

As para-nursing volunteers, we supported nurses by assisting with patients’ activities of daily living, such as repositioning and changing diapers, as well as bedside engagement with patients, feeding, and taking vital signs. These sessions offered us a rare, first-hand insight into the demanding day-to-day responsibilities of nursing, especially during a time when the healthcare system was under immense pressure. The experience was both humbling and eye-opening.

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your five years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

Receiving the Irene Tan Liang Kheng Scholarship to pursue medicine would definitely be included. It gave me the freedom to participate in School and community activities, and to invest more time in learning and growing, rather than taking on additional part-time work or limiting my involvement due to financial concerns.

Another moment that I cherish greatly is the shared journey of studying for the MBBS exams alongside my batchmates. I vividly recall the crowded study spaces in the house rooms and the library at the Clinical Sciences Building, where we spent countless hours practising for our Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). We often took turns role-playing as simulated patients and giving constructive feedback to help everyone improve together.

It was this collective determination, care, and solidarity that made those challenging months unforgettable and deeply rewarding. Even today, whenever I bump into my fellow LKCMedicine House Officers along the hospital corridors, I am filled with a warm sense of familiarity and nostalgia that takes me back to our MBBS days, when we were a close-knit, united batch.

What does the future look like for you?

I aspire to become a holistic, well-rounded doctor who goes beyond treating just the disease – to truly care for the patient as a whole person. LKCMedicine’s strong emphasis on early and consistent patient exposure has helped shape me into a more empathetic and patient-centred doctor.

From as early as Year 1, we were exposed to clinical environments through skills and communication sessions, including Simulated Patient (SP) encounters that covered a wide range of scenarios. These sessions greatly strengthened my ability to build rapport, communicate effectively, and navigate difficult conversations. These are skills that are essential in daily clinical work. 

I hope to continue to draw on those experiences and embody empathy, and active listening in my practice, and build meaningful connections that support both physical and emotional healing.

In the future, I would like to contribute not just within the hospital walls, but to communities that may lack access to proper medical care. I have always felt a deep sense of purpose in using what I’ve learned to serve those most in need, whether they are affected by conflict, disasters, or living in underserved regions. 

Dr Vikneshwaren S/o Senthamil Selvan
House Officer, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

If you had to put together a highlight reel of your five years at LKCMedicine, which moment(s) would you include?

I would pick Year 4 Scholarly Project, where I had the privilege of conducting research at the National Heart Centre Singapore with the Department of Cardiology. It was an incredible opportunity to contribute to meaningful work in the field of interventional cardiology and cardiovascular disease. 

I was fortunate to present my research at two major international conferences – PCR Tokyo Valves 2024 and the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024. This experience not only deepened my interest in cardiology but also played a pivotal role in being awarded the SingHealth Medical Student Talent Development Award (2024/2025).

The Scholarly Project shaped both my aspirations and academic growth. I would not have had this opportunity if LKCMedicine did not have this programme which allowed us to link up with various institutions.

Another experience that I would choose is when I represented LKCMedicine as the Singaporean delegate at the Asian Medical Students’ Exchange Programme in 2021. Collaborating with peers from across Asia, I participated in educational panels and policy discussions that broadened my perspective on global health. This was a formative experience that deepened my appreciation for international collaboration and health equity.

How has LKCMedicine prepared you for your practice as a doctor?

The part of my training that has helped me most is LKCMedicine’s emphasis on clinical reasoning and patient-centred communication, which was consistently reinforced through the Team-Based Learning (TBL) system and early clinical exposure.

From the very first year, we were taught not just to memorise facts, but to think critically, ask “why,” and always consider the patient as a person. Additionally, the longitudinal patient experience programme taught me the value of continuity of care and building rapport over time – lessons that now shape how I approach patients on the wards.

Combined with the rigorous emphasis on professionalism and teamwork, I feel well-prepared to contribute meaningfully in the clinical setting.

What does the future look like for you?

I plan on pursuing Internal Medicine as my foundational training and eventually specialising in Cardiology. What draws me to Cardiology is its intricate blend of acute clinical care, long-term disease management, and the evolving landscape of procedural and imaging-based interventions.

In the long run, I hope to take on roles in academic medicine where I can combine clinical service, research, and teaching to help shape both practice and future generations of doctors. These values have been instilled in me during my time at LKCMedicine.