LKCMedicine students learn new clinical skills at Imperial

Students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) have completed six weeks of clinical training at Imperial.

The 34 medical students from Singapore carried out placements with departments across various hospitals within Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and partner hospitals.

The fifth-year students – who will graduate in July 2020 – spent time learning from Imperial medics in departments such as cardiology, rheumatology and A&E.

Martin Lupton, Vice-Dean (Education) for the Faculty of Medicine, said: “Thank you for being such fantastic visitors, I hope you really did enjoy yourselves.

“I see medicine as being a huge family, we all have very similar things driving us. When you go across the world you can meet people from totally different cultures but when you meet doctors there’s a companionship, a connection.

“I feel that when you come to us. One of the nice things coming from Singapore is you’re our sister school and when you come here we get to know you a lot better.”

The students were presented with certificates by Professor Mark Nelson, who leads the placement activity which is coordinated by the Faculty of Medicine's Collaborative Partnerships Office. 

Jian Hui Koo

Jian Hui spent time at A&E at Charing Cross Hospital, rheumatology at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and renal methodology at Hammersmith Hospital.

Jian Hui said: “It was very enlightening and interesting, I enjoyed A&E the most.

"Getting to speak with patients, it was a very personal experience to bring them through the entire journey and explore their concerns.

“I think what impacted me the most was, the knowledge of the patients had about their own conditions, to the point where they were part of the conversation.

“It has given us another perspective on how healthcare could be. The broader perspective makes us more complete clinicians.

“This is the longest I’ve spent in London and I took the opportunity to explore more as a student on exchange rather than as a tourist.”

Beverley Lim

Beverley spent time in endocrinology and acute medicine at Charing Cross and Rheumatology at Chelsea and Westminster. She previously visited Imperial for a placement during her second year at LKCMedicine.

Beverley said: “What I gained most was a look into another healthcare system, which is very important as future doctors. It is not just important to understand how it is in Singapore, but to have a global perspective.
“For example, the multidisciplinary approach is much stronger here. I think that really benefits the patients.

“I managed to catch up with some old friends at Imperial who I met during a 2nd year placement here. Imperial students are very welcoming and have no problems accepting us.

“I’ve had a very positive experience and I really appreciate our school elective periods overseas. It helps us get another view, of a different patient population.”

A Johan Saiful Mizra

Johan spent his elective in emergency medicine and cardiology at West Middlesex and general surgery at Chelsea and Westminster.

Johan, who also visited Imperial in his second year, said: “The main thing I learned from our clinical placements was the communication here with patients is very different.

"The patients have much better health literacy and understanding of their own conditions, they’re able to recite what previous doctors told them.

“The relationship between doctors and patients is much closer - it’s something Singaporean doctors can work on.

“Imperial students are all very friendly, I had combined tutorials with them and they are all very inclusive.”

Clarice Yeo Biru

Clarice spent her elective at the department of breast surgery at Charing Cross, and oncology and plastic surgery at Chelsea and Westminster.

Clarice said: “It was a good experience, I learned how to assist with surgery.

"It was mainly hands on - I learned a lot more about surgical instruments, and sutures, and I’d never been exposed to plastic surgery before.”