Public health was an issue that Singapore struggled with throughout much of the 19th century and early 20th century. Smallpox and tuberculosis were rampant, while venereal disease was problematic. In 1911, malaria accounted for 20 deaths a day in Singapore. Those were the circumstances in which the Department of Microbiology and Immunology was born in the predecessor of the NUS. For the next 90 years, the Department would go on to make significant strides in combating these diseases and contributing to public health, research and education.

As part of the Phase IV curriculum at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, three full months at the end of the academic year are designated for electives, where students get the chance to arrange and attend clinical postings that they are most passionate about-both locally and overseas. Personally, America has always been a dream destination for me, because the amalgamation of outstanding surgical and medical expertise, fertile grounds for cutting-edge research, pro-teaching environment, and abundance of leading physicians and surgeons in their respective fields promise an invigorating electives experience to all who venture there. Thanks to a longstanding partnership between NUS Medicine and Harvard Medical School, a total of fifteen students from my batch were given the coveted opportunity to participate in month-long clerkships at Harvard-affiliated hospitals across Boston.