COVID-19 PANDEMIC - TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE WORK , STUDY , PLAY AND LIVE | LUMEN
17
Learning from the
Professionals
By Ms Violet Soh
The year 2020 marked a paradigm shift in the way the University Guidance and Scholarship committee conducted the 2nd SJI Professional Speaker Series . This programme began in 2019 , with the aim of exposing our youths to renowned professionals who have not only made their mark in their respective professional field but have also used their resources , skills , talent and knowledge to benefit and bless the community at large . These inspirational professionals , who are the shakers and movers of society in Singapore and overseas , are a force for good that is worth emulating for our young Josephians . In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent mandatory nationwide lockdown , the organising committee was convinced that the sessions , each of which consists of an address by the speaker and a Q & A session , should be continued online instead .
This year , the first two distinguished speakers to lead this series were from the medical field - Dr Tan Lai Yong , Associate Professor of the College of Alice & Peter Tan , Department of Medicine , Division of Family Medicine at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine ) and Professor Lawrence Ho , an accomplished Endoscopist and Director of the Centre for Innovation in Healthcare at NUS , National University Health System .
In his pre-recorded address on the first session held on 24 April , Dr Tan shared about his journey and achievements as a medical doctor when he and his young family moved to Yunnan , China in 1996 , to join a community development team and to work with remote , poverty-stricken villages , caring for orphans , disabled children and those affected by leprosy . The students were particularly impressed by his humility despite his outstanding achievements and how he reached out to the sick and poor in China .
The Professional Speaker Series reached another new high when we featured the second accomplished speaker Professor Lawrence Ho on 19 June . In his pre-recorded address , Professor Ho shared his journey as a doctor , and how he became an established clinician innovator , educator and medical entrepreneur . He described his journey to be one fraught with challenges , such as when he had to face technological and financial disruptions in his medical entrepreneurship , that
Online meeting with Professor Lawrence Ho
certainly inspired students to take on their own challenges . During the active Q & A session with almost 40 PRISM members , he shared words of advice gleaned from his illustrious career . Professor Ho exhorted our youths not to give up easily amid challenges and not to be afraid of disruptions as it is always part of mankind ’ s growth and development . Instead , he advised students to be passionate and courageous in pursuing their aspirations and to work really hard to fulfill one ' s full potential . He ended his talk with the following thought-provoking quotation by Singapore ’ s former Second Deputy Prime Minister ( 1973 to 1985 ), Dr Goh Keng Swee , who said “ The only way not to fail is by not doing anything at all . And that , in the final analysis , will be the ultimate failure .” Professor Ho is one of the rare medical professionals who has successfully combined his medical expertise with his keen entrepreneurial skill to devise innovative medical equipment . He successfully co-founded three medical device start-ups , Endomaster , Endofototnics and EndoPil . Hence , it comes as no surprise that Professor Ho won the Singapore President ’ s Technology Award in 2012 with his co-inventor , and held 3 US granted patents in medtech products . His outstanding contributions to the medical profession as a leading expert and key opinion
Dr Tan with Josephians during the online Q & A session
leader have won him the Distinguished Senior Clinician awarded by Ministry of Health Singapore in 2017 and was conferred the National Day Award 2017 , Public Administration Medal ( Bronze ), by the President of the Republic of Singapore .
The talks by Professor Ho and Dr Tan provided deeper insights on how one can use skills and talent to benefit and impact society positively . Grace Geok ( MN619 ) said , “ Working in the healthcare sector is not just about being a doctor and studying medicine , but serving people .” Nigel Sim ( FN604 ) shared that Dr Tan ’ s address showed him how one can make a difference in the lives of many with the skills we possess . “ I am greatly inspired by his dedication to the people in Yunnan , and how he continues to give back to society .” Josiah Chieng ( MN520 ) said , “ Listening to Professor Ho ’ s story really taught me about perseverance amidst challenges , to always have good connections with the people around me and to always be inspired .” Ahmad Siddique Muhamed Abdil ( FN501 ) revealed that Professor Ho showed him a perspective of medicine that he had never considered before .
The final professional speaker for this year ’ s series will be Mr Gerard Ng , who worked with the United Nations Development Programme in Papua New Guinea for the last five years . His online presentation cum Q & A session with a group of Year 5 students will be aired on 21 August .