All of this was during the early days of the pandemic where the virus was not yet fully understood. This meant that Sarah and her colleagues in the radiology department would have to triage patients by using chest x-rays to look for signs of infection.

“Back then, my department was split into two teams which were the pandemic and non-pandemic teams. When you go on pandemic duty, you need to suit up in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear which includes eye goggles, hair net, yellow long-sleeved gown and N95 mask," Sarah recalls.

The work was physically and mentally demanding with the team having to cope with large numbers of patients and an ever-evolving situation. At the same time, Sarah and her colleagues also constantly worried about bringing the virus back home and endangering their loved ones.

“It was a challenging time which called for a lot of sacrifices from the frontliners. Leave cancellations were common, and some of my colleagues even went so far as to intentionally isolate themselves from their loved ones when they were on the pandemic team."

“What kept me going was the support I got from my parents and husband along with members of my team. Looking back, I have no regrets as I did what was necessary to ensure the safety of my family, loved ones, and my country."

As someone who enjoys solving problems and photography, Sarah was keen on a career that would allow her to combine both of these interests. To widen her horizons, Sarah participated in a number of work-attachment programmes during junior college.

One of these would take her to Alexandra Hospital where she got the opportunity to learn from healthcare professionals from different disciplines.

“During my work attachment at Alexandra Hospital, I was impressed by the dedication and passion shown by the various healthcare professionals who gave their all to ensure that patients got the best possible care."

But it all truly came together for Sarah when she was rotated to the emergency department. It was here that she got a firsthand look at what diagnostic radiographers do.

“The emergency department is extremely fast-paced with everything happening all at once. But in the midst of it all, what stood out to me was how cool and calm the radiographers on duty were."

“Despite the pressures that they were facing, you could see how much effort they put into getting the best possible medical scans. These were then used by the doctors to accurately diagnose patients and come up with a treatment plan."

Given her interests, Sarah realised that a career in diagnostic radiography was the right choice for her and so, she set out to explore her options.

“Back then, there were no local universities offering diagnostic radiography degrees. After asking around, a friend from church told me about the scholarships offered by MOH Holdings (MOHH)."

After a successful application, Sarah received the Healthcare Merit Scholarship (HMS) which gave her the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Medical Imaging and Radiography (Honours) at Monash University in Australia.

  Sarah at her graduation ceremony, with two fellow radiography scholars

Besides financial support, the scholarship enabled Sarah to network with other senior scholars and broaden her knowledge about the healthcare sector.

Currently, Sarah is based at NTFGH as a diagnostic radiographer. Here, she is responsible for performing imaging procedures on patients based on their medical conditions.

Diagnostic radiographers can perform a variety of scans which range from x-rays to ultrasounds to CT scans. They also have the option of specialising in a specific imaging modality which requires years of practice and experience.

  Sarah taking part in the Medical Ultrasound Society of Singapore meeting at NTFGH

As Sarah puts it, “Newly graduated radiographers start off with building a firm foundation doing our “bread and butter" x-rays (also referred to as general radiography). During this time, we can speak to our colleagues in the various imaging modalities to find out more about the struggles and joys of the work they do."

“We can also shadow our colleagues at the modality we are interested in so that we can experience a typical workday for them before choosing to specialize in an imaging modality."

In Sarah's case, her expertise lies in ultrasound, having recently completed her post-graduate certificate in medical ultrasound which allows her to work as a sonographer.

“I chose sonography as it allows me to observe processes within the body in real-time. This appeals to me as I am interested in capturing dynamic physiological activities. For example, seeing gallstones move as you turn the patient onto their left or right."

For Sarah, one of the most rewarding aspects of her work is that it gives her the opportunity to work closely with people. Sonographers will often speak to patients directly and offer them reassurance during the procedure.

“There was one case where a patient with a thyroid issue was coming in for an ultrasound scan. The patient was feeling anxious as she was unfamiliar with the procedure and was afraid of receiving bad news."

To keep the patient calm, Sarah continually reassured her throughout the scan and made small talk to distract them. This empathetic approach paid off and the patient relaxed and began to calm down.

“I didn't think much about it as comforting patients is second nature to me. I only realised what a difference I had made when the patient wrote a compliment to my service quality team," Sarah says.

“It really reminded me that it's important to do my best for all my patients no matter their background."

Besides patient interaction, Sarah enjoys the challenging and dynamic nature of sonography.

As Sarah explains, “Due to the high levels of decisional latitude and diagnostic input, sonographers have a high degree of responsibility in the diagnostic process."

“A sonographer needs to look out for symptoms that a patient may be exhibiting and determine what is causing them pain or discomfort. Besides patient scans, I also need to examine the patient's physical symptoms which helps us better understand their condition."

From here, Sarah has to decipher the results and present the findings to the radiologists. Likening the process to solving a mystery, she enjoys the intellectual challenge and finds it stimulating.

  Sarah at the Allied Health Professionals Family Day 2023 celebrations

Not one to rest on her laurels, Sarah intends to continue her professional development and develop new skills that would allow her to provide patients with better care.

“My plans include participating in training to qualify for more advanced scans such as musculoskeletal scans and vascular scans. It takes years of practical and theoretical knowledge to build up my expertise."​

“At the same time, I'm also looking to explore other aspects of healthcare outside of a hospital setting."

As for those looking to follow in her footsteps, Sarah shares, “Life in the healthcare profession is demanding and you need to be prepared to make sacrifices. It may sound like a cliche, but passion is what's going to keep you going at the end of a long shift."​​
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“While challenging, the experiences and knowledge I've acquired so far make it all worth it. My role as a diagnostic radiographer has made it possible for me to make a meaningful change in the lives of those around me."​​​

Want to find out more about what Sarah does? Check out this video which features her work as a radiographer.​

MOH Holdings (MOHH) is offering local and overseas scholarships to nurture the next generation of nursing, pharmacy and allied health professionals. These scholarships are in partnership with public healthcare institutions and allow you to study in local and overseas universities. For more details on the health science disciplines (including Diagnostic Radiography) offered, check out this page.