Dance to the Rhythm!
Jermaine | Community Nursing Scholarship | Nurse | Dancer
Nothing is out of reach. Ever wondered how Jermaine danced his way into Nursing and a Healthcare Scholarship?
How did dancing waltz into your life?
Dancing was something I picked up on a whim as a CCA in JC and I have never stopped since. What I appreciate most about dance is the freedom to express myself with my movements, giving me a platform to communicate my emotions and intentions to people around me. It is also a great form of exercise!
Tell us more about Nursing
I always knew I wanted a career in healthcare, being able to help others, treat others, and take care of others. During an incident where my friend got injured, another friend of mine, a St John’s Ambulance Brigade member, provided first aid for him quickly and professionally. She told me then that she was aspiring to be a nurse and I was awestruck. Since then, I wanted to follow in her footsteps.
Being adaptable and diligent is something I consider important attributes of nurses. A nurse will have to attend to a number of patients with their differing needs and conditions. One has to be able to adequately understand all these needs and respond appropriately and give proper treatment care at all times. This is especially critical in the community care sector, where most of the patients are elderly who tend to have multiple chronic diseases and are prone to fall sick easily. Personally, I find that there should be more emphasis and focus placed on the community care sector, given our aging population. We can liken these patients to our own parents, and I am sure that we want them to receive the best care possible.
Share with us more about your Scholarship Journey - Virtual Induction Experience Programme
As a healthcare scholar, there is an expectation of having to perform well academically. I find that it provides me with a push that allows me to strive and work hard for my grades. I am currently doing well balancing an active social and curricular life.
The induction experience programme was an incredibly fruitful experience where I got to understand more about the public healthcare landscape. I learned about the linkages and coordination between the various agencies and institutions. This enables Singapore to have the healthcare system it has today. I was also introduced to the community care sector through AIC. During the programme, I managed to make several close friends that are pursuing different healthcare disciplines from my group. It was inspiring to hear of their reasons and why they’re passionate about pursuing their career in healthcare.
Last but not least, I was introduced to a whole lot of other stakeholders and folks such as scholarship officers, talent management team personnel and the rest of the community care scholars. Through this introduction, we got to know one other and the plans AIC had for the upcoming year. It certainly got me excited to start my journey knowing that I will be well-guided under such a capable team.
What are your plans/goals after you graduate?
I will first be serving my bond with NTUC Health after graduation. In addition, I would like to pursue a Master’s in Nursing in the future when opportunity permits. I would only do so once I feel that I am more well-versed in nursing practice and able to cope with my responsibilities, as with higher qualifications comes with greater responsibilities to handle. The learning never stops, and if it does then it might be time to step out from my comfort zone for a change.
What would be your advice to other aspiring scholars out there?
My biggest advice would be to just TRY, especially for those who are still unsure what decision to make. Whenever an opportunity comes, you should just go for it. You will have nothing to lose from trying. If you succeed, that’s great! If you fail, then you’re back at the starting point, but this time you would have probably learnt more about yourself, your strength and weaknesses.
Take the time to work on yourself, be confident and try it out again!
Story adapted from Facebook.