Scholarship / Chevening Scholarship as a great accelerator for my career and preparation to achieve my goals [5]

Career plan in the next 5 years - Chevening

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

I have outlined my career plan for the next 5 years and its within the words limit. I appreciate any form of advice and comments. Thank you

Human capital and health improvement are of central importance towards sustainable development and economic growth in Malaysia. Since our independence in 1957, the UK government has been a major partner in helping Malaysia in the improvement of our health care services, education and training.

My immediate plan upon returning home would be to continue the journey towards becoming a Specialist in Ophthalmology. First, I would like to gain practical experience by applying for a position in XYZ General Hospital, the biggest national centre which provides comprehensive training. I plan to rotate through the different sub-specialties to broaden my horizon in addition to getting acquainted with consultants from different fields. Besides, I would like to embark further by sitting for the Fellowship examination offered by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK). This will give me the international recognition needed to be a qualified ophthalmologist.

Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia but compared to the other states, it is still lacking in terms of health and social facilities. The prevalence of blindness in Sarawak is 1.6%, second highest in Malaysia. My ultimate plan is to return to Sarawak approximately 5 years after graduation and to establish a One Stop Eye Centre which integrates ophthalmic and optometric eye care all under one roof in addition to offering visual rehabilitation service. We live in a community where sight is central and this is a world designed by the sighted for the sighted. However, any form of discrimination or exclusion of individuals still exists even at the least extent. Therefore, my vision is not only to provide medical services but also to allow visually-impaired individuals to take their places in the society based on their abilities, not their disabilities. I acknowledge that financial and travelling difficulties can be barriers to some patients. Thus, I have plans to collaborate with public institutions to provide bimonthly outreach services to remote areas.

The Malaysian and UK Governments are joining hands through the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund, a collaborative effort between both governments in science and technology innovation. Research grants have been granted via this fund for medical and health research in non-communicable diseases involving researchers from both countries. I acknowledge that contributing to Ophthalmology is more than just clinical work and research plays an equal role. I am currently working on a research project, aiming to establish a database for the prevalence of uveitis, an eye inflammatory disorder in Malaysia. Therefore, one of my goals within the next 5 years is to expand the database internationally. I hope to use the Chevening network and contacts that I am acquainted during my Masters programme to form collaboration with ophthalmologists in UK. This allows for international data comparisons and enhances the understanding of uveitis, leading to mutual benefits for UK and Malaysia.

I believe that Chevening Scholarship will be a great accelerator for my career and will prepare me well to achieve my goals. I would be honoured to be part of Chevening that will strengthen the ties between both countries.

Scholarship / 'I grew up, professionally and personally'; Networking skills references for Chevening scholarship [2]

networking skills - Chevening scholarship

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.

(minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

By being a graduate from National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), I was automatically part of an extensive alumni network. As a medical graduate who has just returned to XX in 2014, it provided me with the much needed "network accelerator" during the early days of my career. It has allowed me to reach out to Mr Y, a renowned surgeon in Ireland, who agreed to mentor my research. He also connected me to his professional network from other countries. This resulted in transatlantic collaboration and successful publication of my research paper in The Breast Journal. Moreover, the publication has allowed me to network with the journal editor and I have been invited to send in further papers for future publication.

Besides, I made it a point to attend scientific meetings and conferences annually as I value the importance of face-to-face networking. Both oral and poster presentations are excellent opportunities to introduce myself and to build personal connections. I believe that most people would prefer to work with someone they have listen or spoken to over someone whom they read online.

Nevertheless, two years ago, I noticed that I was surrounded by people who were like me. I am more likely to meet and socialize with medical professionals. I realized that I could choose to gravitate towards the same sub-group or find ways to break the current cycle. I signed up for Zumba classes which turned into 'sweatworking'. My Zumba-mates comprise of individuals who excel in their respective fields. Many of them have impressive jobs. Some own successful businesses. Some dedicate their time by feeding the hungry and helping the poor. In fact, these connections have seen my embarrassing Zumba moves well before they knew about my profession.

Diversifying my social and professional circles has proven to be beneficial when I was entrusted to organize the Cataract Campaign and to attract potential sponsors. First, I identified the potential corporate sponsors whom I have met while attending conferences and made personal calls to them. Next, I turned to my Zumba-mates. Thirdly, I used the power of social media; Facebook, to promote the event to my existing network of friends. The event was a success and I handmade personal cards to all sponsors, hoping to create a lasting impression.

Furthermore, few local corporate that I have associated with are keen to be involved in scholarship-related programmes as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Thus, I hope to use this opportunity to promote and assist Chevening to find more partners locally in order for the program to develop further. Being able to speak English, Malay, Chinese in five different dialects and Borneo native language also provide me the edge to reach out to potential young leaders as most people would feel much at ease, knowing that you can speak their language.

I believe that my networking skills have helped me grow, professionally and personally. I value the meaningful friendships I have made and appreciate this great platform that provides opportunities for collaborations.