Tell us about yourself.

I am a first-year student in the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. I love sports and play competitively, and am also an active volunteer in various projects here and abroad.

Since young, you have dedicated yourself to becoming a doctor. What attracted you to a medical career, and what steps have you taken to pursue it?

I loved watching surgeries on National Geographic as a kid, and various experiences I had along the way reinforced my ambitions. I took the time to learn more about myself and what I seek in life, and explored different industries including healthcare, to determine if this was what I truly wanted to do. A career in medicine is a huge commitment, and having this self-understanding and conviction has helped me go further with my aspirations.

What have you discovered about yourself along the way?

One thing in particular is that I am at my best when I do only the things I am really interested in, so I do things because I like them, not for reasons like boosting my portfolio. This has helped me to focus my energy. I also enjoy the process more and learn more because I am fully invested in what I am doing. This makes the experience a lot more meaningful and enriching.

What skills or qualities do you believe are essential to achieve one’s aspirations?

I believe it is important to be grounded, to understand yourself so that you know if what you are doing is the best option for you. Also, remembering the people who help you along the way and being always grateful.

How has volunteering aided your journey?

I have volunteered at various healthcare institutions, with their diverse communities and unique problems. It has shown me that no matter how different people are, medicine has the power to make a difference, which is what I hope to do.

I am also involved in a community project in Cambodia and the university fundraiser, RAG2024. School is not just about academics; there is so much more that life has to offer and so much growth to experience. I believe in giving every of my commitments the time and effort it deserves. I have learnt to balance my time according to what is most pressing at the moment.

What does the SINDA Excellence Award mean to you?

It is an assurance that I am on the right path, that I am doing well so I should continue and do even better.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Everything happens for a reason. Keep your head up and confidently overcome whatever life throws at you.

How about advice for other students with big dreams?

Your dreams belong to you and not anyone else. If it is something you really want, then don’t look back because you can make your dream a reality.

I am a 24-year-old who has just graduated from NUS with a double major in Life Sciences and Psychology, now working as a research assistant in the Duke-NUS graduate medical school’s Infectious Diseases Department. In my free time, I usually have my eyes glued to a novel! I used to take academics lightly until an injury in school transformed me into a highly motivated student.

Do share about the injury and how you overcame the challenges that it presented

I was preoccupied with netball, representing my school in national competitions. So, when I tore my anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in my knee during a match, it completely devastated me. I was substituted out of the team, which I had worked hard to get selected for, and it shattered my self-esteem. I felt like I had been robbed of my purpose and identity. I needed another field to excel in so I channelled all my energies into studying. That’s when I started receiving A grades and topping my classes. The main lesson I’ve learnt from this life-changing experience is that adversities provide us with the best opportunities for growth and success.

Who or what was your source of inspiration or support at that difficult time?

I have wonderful friends and family who supported and encouraged me. Even though I started withdrawing socially and distanced myself from them, they continued to reach out and check in with me. I am indebted to them for having faith in me even when I doubted my own abilities. During this time I also stumbled upon a book, Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl, which changed my worldview and is still a profound influence on me today. It gave me a different perspective on my struggles and taught me to derive meaning from suffering, instead of viewing it as a form of punishment.

How did you apply these lessons after leaving secondary school?

Following my ‘O’ levels, I encountered many other obstacles, but instead of feeling overwhelmed and distressed, I was confident of successfully navigating my way through them. After my ‘A’ levels, for example, I had my heart set on studying abroad but had to turn down a couple of offers from reputable universities due to financial constraints. I was extremely demoralized but decided to make the most out of my time at a local university instead.

I remained optimistic and my university experience turnedout to be truly memorable. I am thankful for the challenges I have faced because they have moulded me into a more resilient, confident and competent individual.

What does the SINDA Excellence Award mean to you?

It motivates me to to continue working hard and strive for excellence in all my pursuits. I previously received one for my ‘O’ level results and did not expect another. It is an honour and I am grateful to have my efforts recognised.

How do you feel about being valedictorian at SEA?

It is absolutely surreal to be accorded such an honour. Delivering the valedictorian speech to the audience is a memory that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I will never forget the way my parents beamed with pride as I walked up on stage, and it was probably the first time I’d seen my father shed tears of joy. This was an opportunity for me to pay tribute to my parents for the sacrifices they made throughout my educational journey.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t compare yourself to others, but only to your past self. Growing up, comparing myself to others adversely affected my self-esteem. I was never good enough, smart enough, skilled enough. These thought patterns meant I could never celebrate my successes, strengths or positive qualities.

I have since come to realise that everyone’s journey is unique. There is no value in pitting ourselves against others. I would thus implore my younger self to focus on my growth and only compare myself to who I was yesterday.

SINDA gave me all-round support in different areas of my life. SINDA’s Back to School Festival and STEP programme provided much-needed financial and educational assistance for me to do better in my studies. After finding out about SINDA’s diverse range of youth programmes, I joined the SINDA Football Club, where I not only improved my football abilities but also developed essential life and leadership skills.

My journey with SINDA has inspired me to positively impact others. Today, I am paying it forward as a Peer Leader with the SINDA Youth Club.

Armed with the firm belief that books are a vital gateway to broadening horizons and imparting worldly knowledge, Preethi is on a quest to cultivate a reading habit in young children. Every week for the last five years, she has been setting aside time from her busy schedule to conduct reading sessions in English and Tamil under SINDA’s Book Wizards programme. Through weekly sessions at the library as well as house visits, she gently nurtures a love for reading in children and helps them enhance their reading abilities. Her dedication and care have not gone unnoticed, and she is now a Volunteer Leader for Book Wizards.

Preethi also volunteers at other SINDA events including BTSF to help secure the financial well-being of students. For her efforts, she was awarded a Five-Year Appreciation Certificate at the SINDA Appreciation Ceremony 2023.

In 2018, Majida’s life took a dramatic turn when her husband unexpectedly passed away. In addition to the devastating grief she was feeling, she was emotionally overwhelmed about her new responsibilities in the family – raising her three children and supporting her mother-in-law by herself. Dejected and unsure on how to move forward, she reached out to SINDA in the hopes of receiving assistance.

SINDA swiftly stepped in to help, providing her with counselling services that allowed her to process her grief and manage her emotions better. Since then, she and her family have received further financial aid under the SINDA Bursary, Resilience Package and SINDA Care Package to ensure that they could afford groceries and daily necessities, amidst these challenging times.

While SINDA’s financial assistance has played a big role in Majida’s journey, she is also grateful for her learnings from attending the Women Empowerment Programme. Sharing her struggles with other women who are fighting their own battles has inspired her to continue persevering and she is determined to overcome any adversities that life throws at her. Today, Majida is the embodiment of resilience, and despite how much she has overcome, she is motivated to continue uplifting her family’s life.