Class of 2025: Future Doctors Shaped by Drive and Passion, Grounded in Purpose
Published: 10 Jul 2025
Thirumeninathan Thaarun – The Compassionate Scholar
Class of 2025; House Officer, Department of Orthopaedics, Sengkang General Hospital
Thaarun (second from right) with the Singapore Red Cross First Aiders on Wheels team at East Coast Park in 2019. Photo credits: Singapore Red Cross Team
Having spent his entire school life at an international school from kindergarten through to A-Levels, Thaarun’s early academic years were grounded in an intensive science-based curriculum, with subjects like Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Mathematics shaping his path.
Still, it wasn’t only textbooks and exams that led him to medicine. His decision to pursue this path was sparked by a strong desire to serve, something that grew from his job-shadowing stints in hospitals and hands-on experience with the Singapore Red Cross, where he assisted the injured during his First Aid volunteering duties in 2019.
Thaarun’s years in medical school have been marked by more than just academic achievement. On top of reaching the Dean’s List and achieving MBBS with Honours during his time at NUS Medicine, he has actively contributed to community outreach efforts, including MedNurse Flag and being part of the pilot team of the Adolescents and Young Adults Oncology (AYAO) Juniors programme, an initiative founded by Dr Eileen Poon, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), that supports underserved cancer survivors aged 16 to 49. Thaarun led the first-generation pilot of AYAO Juniors.
Outside the hospital and classroom, Thaarun is an avid dancer, regularly performing with NUS Naach, a student-led Indian dance group known for its energetic and expressive performances.
“Engaging in volunteering and the arts ensures that I continue to lead and feel with my heart while thinking as a doctor,” Thaarun highlighted. Whether in the wards or on stage, he brings the same passion and purpose to everything he does. His story shows how compassion, curiosity and creativity can shape a doctor who heals with both skill and heart.
Xie Jia Lin Sophie – The Storyteller in Motion
Class of 2025; House Officer, Department of Internal Medicine, National University Hospital
Sophie (middle) performing at Moonfest 2021. Photo credits: @yeap.pl on Instagram
Back in junior college, Sophie was drawn to medicine for its blend of intellectual challenge and deep human connection. She wanted a path that demanded not just academic rigour, but also empathy, resilience and purpose. At NUS Medicine, the close-knit community and vibrant student life offered her a place to grow as both doctor and artist.
Sophie has been dancing since the age of five. She joined the NUS Chinese Dance and King Edward VII Hall Dance, and continues to dance with groups outside of school. Sophie has represented in Chinese dance competitions and collaborated with traditional musicians and multidisciplinary artists. In 2023 and 2024, she was a choreographer at EMERGENCE, a programme led by the Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre. Since she was young, dance has been a big part of Sophie’s identity and is now her way of expressing culture and building community, grounding her through movement and heritage.
In 2024, Sophie explored another creative avenue as Assistant Producer for ‘Left’, a short film directed by fellow medical student Joseph Lim. ‘Left’ is a poetic reflection on time, love and loss. The film earned international acclaim, receiving the Grand Jury Award at the Oniros Film Awards in New York and Gold Awards at the Independent Shorts Awards in Los Angeles. It was also shortlisted for the Lion City Dance Film Festival and screened at Golden Village x The Projector. For Sophie, storytelling is a way to express and preserve emotions and memories.
“I see parallels between my journey in medicine and in the arts. As I continue to deepen my clinical knowledge, I also seek growth in my artistic pursuits. Each phase has not only allowed me to express myself in different ways, andalso grounded me with a sense of clarity and purpose, allowing me to connect more meaningfully with the human experience behind every patient,” Sophie shared.
Read more here.
Ashlee Tan Yi Xuan – The Spirited Diver
Class of 2025; House Officer, Department of Internal Medicine, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Ashlee (middle) receiving 1st place at the 13th Singapore National Diving Championships 2024 OCBC Aquatic Centre, Women’s 3m Springboard. Photo credits: Singapore Aquatics
Ashlee’s journey as both a diver and medical student is marked by discipline, with numerous awards reflecting her excellence in the pool. She shared: “Diving has honed my dedication and passion towards the things I love and in doing so, to be disciplined and sincere in all that I do. I strive to do my best, and be thankful with whatever results and achievements that come along the way.”
Read her full story here.
Rebecca Ong Jia Min – The Advocate and the Athlete
Class of 2025; House Officer, Department of Internal Medicine, National University Hospital
Rebecca (left) with her teammates after they received Gold for the Women’s Epee Team at the SEA Games 2022. Photo credits: Singapore Fencing Team
A fencer, an advocate and a medical student, Rebecca lives by discipline, empathy and creativity — qualities that have earned her both sporting success and helped her drive meaningful impact at the hospital and beyond. She expressed: “The way I see myself practicing medicine, in the years to come, has been influenced largely by my journey in competitive fencing and my passion for understanding and celebrating the myriad experiences and strengths of others. Fencing has given me the chance to exercise discipline and determination in chasing my goals and taught me how to move forward from inevitable setbacks along the way. My experience with interviewing and publishing the stories of Singaporean youth in the book “Gems in the Rough” has shown me how the simple act of listening and helping to unpack emotions and experiences can be of great comfort to the people we serve.”
Read her full story here.
