Jedidiah (right) helping a medical worker with dental treatment for an elderly patient

Unlike most of us, Jedidiah Sebastian or Jedidiah, spent his childhood by volunteering in the mountains of Nepal alongside his family at a medical camp. While he initially saw it as a fun way to skip school, he soon learnt to appreciate the true impact of what they were doing.

"I've always enjoyed my time at these medical camps. I got to skip school for a couple of days, meet with other kids, climb trees, pluck berries, and play with sand and stone."

"Then one day, I overheard my dad and a doctor talking about a teenager who was epileptic and had suffered a serious injury."

The teenager in question had suffered a seizure and as a result, fell into an open cooking fire. As a result, the individual's leg was covered in 2nd degree burns and needed emergency treatment at the nearest hospital which was a 4-hour drive away.

This exposed Jedidiah to the plight of rural communities who do not have access to proper medical facilities and had to rely on medical camps (which only provides basic medical services) in the mountainous regions of Nepal.

Another memory which still stays with him to this day is when he was helping out as a dental assistant at the medical camp.

"There was an elderly person who came in with a mouth full of decayed and broken teeth. The patient was in immense pain and the only treatment available was extraction."

"During the procedure, the tooth broke and parts of the decayed teeth were left in the gum. The dentist then began opening up the patient's gums to remove everything. It was quite messy and I remember being disturbed by what I saw."

Speaking to the dentist post-treatment, Jedidiah was told that surgery would have been the best course of action but given the lack of instruments and facilities available, this was the only thing that they could do to help the patient.

"I think this was the moment when I realised that I wanted to do more with my life. I told myself that I would study hard and acquire the skills needed to make a change in the lives of people in such communities."

Jedidiah (far right) with his classmates in one of the classes at NUS Pharmacy

On his return to Singapore and the completion of his National Service, Jedidiah set out to pursue a career in healthcare. He opted to pursue Pharmacy as it allows him to interact with and educate patients on how they can remain healthy.

As he puts it, "Pharmacists are usually the final point of contact between a patient and their healthcare provider. Unfortunately, patients may not quite understand the effects of their medication and its relevance."

"As a pharmacist I want to change that and ensure that I can relate to the difficulties of those that rely on me. Plus, with the skills that I've picked up, I'll be able to join outreach programs that help rural communities with limited access to healthcare."

Currently, Jedidiah is pursuing a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the National University of Singapore. In the long-term, Jedidiah hopes to make medication and well-informed treatment available and accessible to all groups of people around the world.

Syazana (middle) facilitating a Social Work Freshmen Orientation Camp back at Nanyang Polytechnic

Nur Syazana Gonzaga is no stranger to the healthcare sector.

Since she was a young girl, Syazana has felt the grief from losing her grandparents to cancer and covid, and a beloved aunt to heart disease.

But rather than let the sense of loss overwhelm her, she chose to push on through and do her best to help others around her.

"Throughout my life, I've struggled with the sense of guilt, grief, and loss that comes from losing a loved one. I often wished that I actually had done more to support and care for them."

"I guess that it's because of this that I chose to pursue a career in the healthcare sector. At the same time, I opted for a role that lets me help and support those going through a dark time in their life."

Recognising Syazana's inner strength and compassion, her lecturers at Nanyang Polytechnic gave her the opportunity to shadow a Medical Social Worker (MSW) for a day at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

"The one thing that stuck with me was how the MSW effortlessly formed a strong sense of rapport with their client. She gently spoke with each one of them and gave them a safe space to unburden themselves."

"Besides that, she carefully explained how they would need to make lifestyle changes given their medical conditions. She did it in a way that wasn't condescending but empathetic and caring. That really inspired me and showed me the value of engaging with clients."

Since then, Syazana has also taken up internships with Singapore's Child Protective Service (CPS) and Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support Ltd (Babes).

During her work with CPS, Syazana's Malay fluency would come in handy when communicating with Malay-speaking families. This allowed her to easily establish a sense of rapport with clients and guide them towards the right decisions.

As an intern with Babes, Syazana would work alongside MSWs to provide care for teen mothers and their children.

"Ironically, my age proved to be an advantage while I was interning at Babes. The clients that I worked with were either as old as me or slightly older. I took the time to listen to what they had to say and built rapport with them. This made them more comfortable with me and they were receptive to my advice. The key here is to build trust and make sure that clients know that they're being listened to."

Syazana is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work with the Singapore University of Social Sciences and will graduate in 2025.

An autistic sibling inspired her to learn more about the human mind

Jazz (right) out on a trip to Suntec City with her family

Jazz Tan first became interested in the human mind during her early teen years when her younger sibling was diagnosed with autism.

She said, "Interacting with my brother was my first-hand experience with an individual perceived as atypical by societal terms. And this was what first piqued my interest in mental health."

"It was a bumpy ride initially as I got used to life with him and worked to help him fit in with society. For one, it took us some time to learn how to calm him down when he was having a meltdown."

While challenging, Jazz and her family found strength from the care and support they received from the healthcare professionals treating her brother.

This along with her journey with an autistic younger brother would serve as an inspiration for her to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology.

"I want to better understand human psychopathology and be able to utilise therapy to assist those with mental health concerns to cope emotionally and behaviourally."

However, the journey has been far from easy and Jazz has had to cope with working in both difficult and unfamiliar environments.

One notable example comes from an internship with Singapore Prison Services. During that time, she would accompany her supervisor during therapy sessions with prisoners.

"As professionals, we need to be objective and neutral with all our patients. This may be difficult because we should to approach the situation without prejudice. So, I took a step back and reminded myself that all patients, regardless of their status, require the best treatment and care from us (healthcare professionals)."

In another case, Jazz worked alongside Child Protection Services to help a minor who was exhibiting high risk behaviours. The case notes provided to Jazz also mentioned the difficult relationship between the minor and her parents.

"The minor had run away from home a few times and that was when I began mentally preparing myself for the challenges ahead."

"However, I was surprised to find that the minor was willing to speak to me. In fact, the minor was very friendly and we managed to build a strong bond during our sessions together."

These experiences convinced Jazz that she needed an open perspective when working with patients. It also served as a reminder that sincerity and a genuine nature is crucial when dealing with people from all walks of life.

Jazz will be pursuing a Masters of Psychology (Clinical) to advance her career as a Clinical Psychologist.

With such passionate and dedicated scholars like these three, the future of Singapore's healthcare sector is in good hands.

MOH Holdings (MOHH) is currently offering 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 offered, check out this page.