Student Profile: Up Close and Personal with LKCMedicine’s Latest PSC Scholar
 | By Thung Pei Ying |
The road to being a doctor is often arduous, but one that elicits much joy in being able to bring care and comfort to patients while alleviating their pain. It is not easy to decide to embark on the long but fulfilling journey of training to be a doctor. Yet at the young age of 19, Loh Pei Yi knew that there was no better path for her than this.
Loh Pei Yi is a Year 5 student at LKCMedicine, and very recently received the Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship (Medicine). She joins the ranks of her LKCMedicine seniors, Dr Lavisha Punjabi (Class of 2018), Dr Goh Kang Shiong (Class of 2019), Dr Andrew Yap (Class of 2021) and Dr Cheong Nian Kai (Class of 2022), who were all awarded the PSC Scholarship (Medicine) as mid-term scholars.
Pei Yi’s first-hand experiences with attentive medical practitioners and the health struggles that her loved ones faced had inspired her to apply to be a medical student. To this day, her strong conviction to serve the public and protecting Singapore’s vulnerable and marginalised communities continues to motivate her to excel in her medical training and do more to bridge the gaps in the healthcare system.
Even as she enters her final year as a medical student – often the busiest year in a medical student’s life, her heart for service does not falter. Outside of her time at LKCMedicine, she is part of multiple projects and clubs that serve the community.
We speak to Pei Yi on her motivations, her commitment to public service, and the experiences that has helped her grow into the medical student that she is today.
What inspired you to apply for the PSC Scholarship and did your journey in LKCMedicine play a part in your decision?
My aspiration has always been to protect people—at the tender age of 19, I had been absolutely convinced I would do this through becoming a defence scientist. But when my father, who had a previous heart attack, suffered another health scare and had to undergo angiography, I was engulfed with guilt that I could neither allay his fears nor understand what was happening. I realised that protection isn’t only about shielding people from external threats, but also about safeguarding their health so they can live fully. That turning point motivated me to pivot into medicine, where I could translate my desire to safeguard Singapore into care at the most personal level.
My journey in LKCMedicine over the past four years has since reinforced this conviction. Through clinical attachments across the public healthcare system, I have witnessed both the vulnerabilities of patients and opportunities to improve care upstream. Beyond the wards, I bridged my roots in defence with healthcare by re-establishing the NTU Civil Defence Lionhearter Club from scratch, spearheading initiatives to bring emergency preparedness and community resilience into everyday life. I also founded and continue to run Project Gift of Song, a nonprofit serving the palliative care community, and interned at the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation, where I contributed to digital mental health strategy and research at the national level. These experiences in citizen-led advocacy and systems-level innovation affirmed my desire to serve at the meaningful intersection of clinical insight, technology and policy to protect the vulnerable at scale.
In connecting the dots of my identity, I gradually rediscovered my calling for the public service. I aspire to dedicate my career to caring for the most vulnerable, not in isolation, but by working across government to tackle complex healthcare challenges holistically. The PSC Scholarship (Medicine) represents the alignment of my medical journey with my lifelong mission: to safeguard the health of Singaporeans as the foundation of their hopes and dreams. This spurred me to take my only chance to apply as a mid-term candidate during my fourth year of medical school.
How do you hope the PSC Scholarship can benefit your remaining journey in LKCMedicine?
The PSC Scholarship provides me with a strong sense of mission and purpose to guide the next stages of my medical journey. The application process offered a valuable opportunity to reflect deeply on my convictions and consider carefully whether a career in the public healthcare sector aligns with my values. It allowed me to examine my aspirations, understand the opportunities and limitations of public healthcare, and clarify how I hope to contribute meaningfully to the system. I aim to continue drawing on these introspections to navigate the remainder of my studies at LKCMedicine and beyond, shaping my training choices and career pathway towards the overarching goal of championing the healthcare and protection of vulnerable communities.
Another aspect I greatly value is the network of PSC scholars, healthcare scholars, and public sector leaders I have encountered through the award ceremony and induction courses so far. These individuals come from a wide array of disciplines, professional backgrounds, and walks of life, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise. I look forward to learning from their experiences, exchanging ideas, and cultivating lasting connections that will broaden my understanding of public service and enrich my development as a future healthcare professional and public officer.
How do you juggle your time being a medical student, serving the community, and your own hobbies and/or social life?
I am often asked this question, and I acknowledge that it can be demanding at times. There were two periods last year when the time crunch was particularly intense. Early in the academic year, I was concurrently selected for the NTU Impactful Leadership Programme and the BAGUS Together Groundbreakers Leadership Programme, both of which ran for several months with weekday night and weekend workshops on top of clinical postings. Around a month before my Year 4 summative examinations, I was competing in the global rounds of the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab Hackathon—where our team placed in the global Top 10—while simultaneously managing an active apprenticeship in a polyclinic posting, preparing pitches, and meeting US-based mentors and advisors across time zones.
The truth is that juggling multiple commitments is an ongoing challenge, but I try to manage it through careful prioritisation and being fully present in whatever I do. At clinicals, I make it a point to engage actively with patients and tutors. In my extracurricular commitments, I seek to be proactive in communicating with teams and stakeholders and adjust my schedule around major events. Equally importantly, I prioritise self-compassion: ensuring I carve out sufficient time to rest, recharge, and enjoy simple moments with loved ones.
Time management is a skill I am continually learning and refining, especially now in my final year with MBBS drawing close. Nonetheless, what keeps me energised is the meaning I derive from my roles beyond clinical medicine and the supportive communities I have been part of. These experiences not only sustain me but also strengthen my resilience and commitment to give my best in everything I do.
How has LKCMedicine shaped you into who you are today?
LKCMedicine has shaped me academically, professionally, and personally, providing a foundation to grow into the doctor and person I aspire to be. Its innovative pedagogy, including the Team-Based Learning model, broad-based education on longitudinal topics (such as digital health, professionalism, and ethics), early patient contact, and rigorous clinical training across NHG hospitals and the wider public healthcare sector, has honed my clinical reasoning, adaptability, and patient-centered approach.
I have also benefited immensely from the School’s generous donors and partnership networks. I am deeply grateful for the support of Lee Foundation, which has empowered me to complete the past four years of medical education as an LKCMedicine Scholar. Through the Anthony SC Teo-Gordon Johnson Gold Medal, I had the privilege of completing my scholarly project at the University of Cambridge, while the Imperial Elective Award is currently enabling me to deepen my clinical training through a six-week elective at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. These experiences will continue to broaden my perspective on healthcare systems, research, and clinical practice globally.
Beyond academics, LKCMedicine has empowered me to grow as a leader and contributor within the broader NTU community. With the support of the NTU Student Affairs Office and the Student Leadership Development Programme, I have derived great joy from pioneering multiple initiatives with social impact, including an award-winning charity concert raising over $65,000 to catalyse conversations in end-of-life matters, and a public festival raising $30,000 in startup costs while engaging 15 partners to promote social resilience and emergency preparedness for around 1,000 people. Participating in the vibrant research and development environment through the Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) programme also culminated in my debut first-authored publication and the platform to share my work as a track speaker at the Asian Congress for Schizophrenia Research.
Ultimately, it is the people at LKCMedicine—the beloved community of faculty members, tutors, staff, seniors, peers, and patients—who have made this journey formative. Their guidance and support have fostered well-rounded and holistic growth, shaping me into a reflective, and compassionate future doctor.
Do you have any goals or wishes you hope to achieve as a PSC Scholar, and what are they?
PSC Scholar or not, my goals remain the same. I know the journey ahead will be far from linear, and I hope to stay resilient, grounded, and compassionate. One moment that will stay with me was witnessing the official launch of the digital mental health service I had helped strategise during my internship at MOHT. Months later, during my psychiatry posting in IMH, I observed a doctor recommending this very service to a patient. The glimmer of hope on the patient’s mother’s face was a powerful reminder of why I want to serve in the public sector: here is where we reach people with the greatest needs, where dignity, comfort, and some semblance of normalcy can be restored for those who have long been marginalised.
I will soon be starting my medical career, and there remains so much to learn. I look forward to the responsibilities of patient care in the public healthcare system, adapting not only within the safe space of school but also on the ground. I hope to nurture an inquisitive spirit: not just in clinical knowledge, but also in understanding the wider system and keeping abreast of current affairs. At the same time, I want to develop the courage to ask difficult but necessary questions about what can be improved, and the tenacity and competencies beyond the bedside to bring to life meaningful change.
As Singapore faces the challenges of rapid ageing, chronic diseases, rising healthcare costs, and emerging technologies with their own risks, the public healthcare system of tomorrow will demand both independence of thought and empathy. Ultimately, my wish is to cultivate both a discerning intellect and the heart to serve as a future doctor in this system—someone who can harness clinical medicine and beyond to protect the health and wellness of the vulnerable. Even as the landscape grows more complex, I want to dream big, start small, and learn fast, never losing sight of my calling.
It has been a whirlwind four years for you in medical school, and you’re going on your final year now. Is there anything that you would like to say to your 18-year-old self – whether it’s words of encouragement or advice?
Dear Mini-Me,
In 2021, when you made that leap of faith into medicine, I know you carried a lot of uncertainty within. It meant making painful decisions: turning down offers you once dreamt of—the PSC (Engineering) scholarship, Cambridge University’s Singapore Scholarship—and saying goodbye to the defence technology community for a fresh start. Wearing the white coat was a privilege you embraced with gratitude and purpose, yet there lingered a sliver of doubt: was this truly the right choice?
Here’s what I want to tell you: have no fear. Take the time to explore, grow, and discover what resonates with you. Hold fast to what drove you here: compassion for your community and the courage to act when you see a chance to make things better. Don’t let youth be a limitation; let it fuel your curiosity, empathy, and drive to experiment.
Medical school will be demanding. There will be nights when you sit awake at 2am, wrestling with the complexities of haematological malignancies. There will be rainy mornings when you drag yourself out of bed for another long posting. Yet amidst the grind, remember this: to the patient struggling with a cancer diagnosis, your reassuring touch will mean the world. To the caregiver overwhelmed with questions, your explanation can offer clarity and comfort. Knowledge and clinical mastery are lifelong quests, but always keep the patient at the heart of it all.
Never lose sight of the spark that led you here: to protect people and safeguard the vulnerable. I trust that you will eventually find your true calling within medicine and public service. Uncertainty will always be part of the journey, but you won’t be alone—you’ll have a wonderful community at LKCMedicine to support you, and together you’ll grow.
Finally, don’t forget: university isn’t just about medicine. It’s a chapter of exploration and becoming. Take breaks, pick up new skills, revive old hobbies, and make friends both within and beyond medicine. Stay grounded, follow your true north, and enjoy the ride.
With love and faith,
Your future self