My career aspiration is…

To build a career in and contribute to the improvement of healthcare system in Singapore with my knowledge in life sciences.

I chose SBS because...

I was intrigued by how the human body works and the development of various human diseases. After undertaking a diploma in Biomedical Sciences, I wanted to delve deeper into fields such as microbiology, neuroscience and cancer biology which are relevant to today’s biomedical field. The courses offered in this programme aligned with my interests and hence, I decided to do a major in Biological Sciences at NTU.

I feel that the benefits of taking on an internship is that…

It gives a first-hand exposure of working in the real world. I wanted to gain professional experience and skills that would help with my career development. Furthermore, trying out something new would allow me to learn more about my own strengths and weaknesses, which I believe, will enable me to make better decisions about my future.

Hence, with prior experience and knowledge coupled with my curiosity in Singapore’s regulation on food supply and safety, I took on this internship opportunity offered through the Career and Attachment Office

I did my internship at…

The National Centre for Food Science (NCFS), which is a branch under Singapore Food Agency (SFA) as a food microbiologist. I was attached to the Food Microbiology lab of NCFS which functions to provide food testing services. We conducted various tests to detect common and critical food-borne pathogens in food samples that we eat every day for microorganisms which may potentially cause food poisoning and infectious diseases.

I was also involved in a research project which aims to develop new methods for the detection and enumeration of Enterococci species, a critical food-borne pathogen. Fast and effective methods of detection are required to provide accurate and reliable identification of microorganisms found in food products.

Studying in SBS helped me in my internship by…

Equipping me with adequate knowledge through modules such as Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Advanced Microbial Pathogenesis, and many more.

For example, I have learnt about the characteristics of different types of bacteria and some of the tests to identify the organism. I am now able to identify and differentiate the types of bacteria easily. Furthermore, the lab sessions in SBS have equipped me with laboratory skills and important biosafety knowledge which are required for my internship.     

My biggest takeaway from my internship would be…

Learning to be resilient and adaptable to the changes in the work processes.  Due to the ongoing fluid situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to adapt to business contingency plans while ensuring that daily lab routines proceeded as usual. This was truly a steep learning curve for me.

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