P arkway College is the education arm of Parkway Pantai Ltd, a leading healthcare group in Asia that operates a total of 32 hospitals and more than 6,000 beds throughout Asia.

Ever since its establishment in 2008, Parkway College has provided quality education in the niche fields of nursing, allied health and healthcare management. To date, it is the only institution in Singapore to offer a three-year programme in Bachelor of Science (Honours) Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging.

Currently in this programme are G Kasthuri and Bernice Shermaine Wong. They tell us more about how Parkway College has given them the opportunity to pursue their passion in radiography.

What sparked your interest in Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging?

G Kasthuri: During my secondary school and JC days, I enjoyed doing experiments and studying the results gathered from those experiments. Radiography seemed to be the most suitable option for me because it requires me to obtain and study information from specialised equipment.

I also find it interesting that black and white images can tell us a lot about what is happening in our bodies. These images play a huge part in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and I want to help people in whatever way possible.

Bernice Shermaine Wong Yong Lin

Studying:
Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Diagostic Radiography and Imaging (3rd Year Student)

Furthermore, it definitely helps that the job prospects are good after graduating from the course, as diagnostic radiographers are well sought-after in Singapore.

Shermaine Wong: It may seem strange, but my passion for radiography goes hand-in-hand with my passion for photography. I love to take pictures and post them on social media platforms like Instagram. To me, playing with the contrast and brightness, cropping, zooming, and fiddling around with the multiple functions is just as similar to taking diagnostic images in Radiography.

Also, radiography left a huge impression on me when I was young. My mother once brought me on a tour of the hospital she was working in. She showed me the radiology department, and I was immediately enamoured by the level of technology there. It amazed me that I could see the insides of a person’s body without having to open them up! Ultimately, the passion to help and care for people is what drove me to pursue this course.

Why did you choose Parkway College over other educational institutions?

Kasthuri: Parkway College has a collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, UK. This enables me to receive a degree recognised both locally and internationally, without having to spend the extravagant fees needed to study in the UK.

Parkway College also seems like the best place to pursue a healthcare course. It stood out to me because it ensures that students graduate with the relevant skills and knowledge needed to become healthcare professionals in the future.

Shermaine: Parkway College is the only educational institution in Singapore that directly offers a degree in Diagnostic Radiography upon graduation, so it was a no-brainer for me.

Another thing that sets Parkway College apart from other schools is its affiliation with Parkway Pantai, which is part of the IHH Healthcare Berhad Group – one of the largest listed private healthcare providers in the world. Given its spread of health services across the globe, I knew that Parkway College would be able to provide me with skills and knowledge that are applicable and up-to-date.

Share with us some highlights of your time with Parkway College so far.

Kasthuri: Alongside other Parkway College radiography students, I volunteered to help out during the 20^th Asia-Australasia Conference of Radiological Technologists which was held at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre in 2015.

During the event, we gave a dance performance, showcasing Singapore’s culture to people from all over the world. This was such an enjoyable experience, getting to spend time with one another and bonding over all the rehearsals and meetings we had.

We also got to interact with the radiographers and delegates from different countries, giving us the opportunity to get to know how radiography and radiology are perceived by people outside of Singapore.

Shermaine: Student life is pretty exciting here at Parkway College because we get to attend many student activities. The most notable one to me was our trip to the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore, which not only included students, but some of the staff and lecturers as well. Everyone got together to enjoy a night of scare and fun together. It’s really nice that we have activities like this to take some time off from school work.

In year two, we can choose to go overseas for our elective clinical placement. Together with three of my classmates, we went to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital in the UK for two weeks. This experience was one that I will never forget. I got to see how different the workflow is over there. For example, they recorded radiation doses for patients due to the legislation requirements. They also provided good patient care and took pride in their practice. Exchange programmes like these are beneficial for us as we can learn from around the world and bring it into practice locally so as to improve and further develop healthcare in Singapore.

Tell us about your plans for the future when you graduate.

Kasthuri: I was awarded the Educational Sponsorship by ParkwayHealth Radiology and will be working in one of the Parkway hospitals in Singapore once I graduate. I am really excited, because I believe that the workplace experience that I will gain will help me become a better radiographer.

Shermaine: Like Kasthuri, I will be working in one of the Parkway hospitals to further develop my competency. In the future, I may further my studies by taking up a Master degree in a modality that I am interested in. Right now, I’m thinking of specialising in ultrasound, but who knows what the future holds. All I know is that I can’t wait to start my career as a full-fledged radiographer.

Yong Keong: I applied to UC Berkeley in the US because I wanted to tap on its strength in its renowned electrical engineering programme. The university ranks among the top three electrical engineering schools and sits right smack across a bay from Silicon Valley, home to all things high-tech. The learning environment there was extremely conducive and collaborative.

During my undergraduate days, I did an internship with DSTA. My job scope was to assess whether a new technology was ready for use in the SAF. This was my opportunity to witness how things worked in the defence industry, and how individuals contributed to the industry’s goals. This certainly prepared me for my current job.

What qualities should aspiring DSTA scholars possess?

Hao Yi: They should first have a passion for science and technology. They should also be deeply interested in and keep abreast of the latest developments in the field. Aspiring DSTA scholars must also take pride in contributing to Singapore’s defence and security. Passion, commitment to lifelong learning and pride in their work will allow them to relentlessly pursue the best engineering solutions for the SAF and our nation’s defence.

Yong Keong: I believe aspiring DSTA scholars must be both patient and determined to reach their goals. Determination is required because one may encounter a lot of unexpected roadblocks in the field of research and development. On the other hand, patience is paramount because tangible results take time to show, usually after a period of months or even years!

I would also like to conclude by saying that the opportunity to look at how our technology works is mind-blowing. It certainly is a huge privilege to be able to look and marvel at the design of systems – all to keep Singapore safe from harm and potential threats.