Making A Difference In Our Community

Intrinsic to OCBC Bank’s way of life is the spirit of giving back to the community. This is reflected in the organisation’s various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, as well as the bond-free scholarships awarded to bright and talented individuals with the drive to succeed. The OCBC scholarship experience hopes to nurture outstanding youth by providing challenging and rewarding opportunities that will help them to develop to their full potential.

What results is the OCBC scholarship family; a group of individuals pursuing different fields of study, tied together by a similar belief of giving back to the community. To find out more about what it takes to be an OCBC scholar, we check in with 20-yearold Ang Jun Yang, an undergraduate who aspires to contribute to the well-being of the community in the field of medicine.

Ang Jun Yang 
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Medicine
– NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

My scholarship journey so far involves short experiences in hospital wards, where I have grown to value and appreciate the interactions I have had with elderly patients. From speaking to them in dialect to listening to their stories about the good old days, these moments really warm my heart.

I’m driven by my desire to be able to take care of my family, the people around me, and ultimately, the community as a doctor. I am currently pursuing Medicine at NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine; I have always been fascinated by the physiology of our body and why pathologies occur, and the study of Medicine perfectly complements my interest. More importantly, as Singapore edges towards an ageing society, healthcare will gain increasing importance within the community. Caring for the elderly will become more pertinent as healthcare shifts from hospitals to a community effort. I aspire to specialise in geriatric medicine as it is very meaningful to give back to society by providing adequate primary care for the elderly, who have contributed to Singapore’s development. Being a geriatrician will also make me better equipped to care for my family, especially my grandmother, and manage chronic diseases. Currently, Singapore has very few geriatricians as the profession is not as lucrative as specialists. I hope that in years to come, more doctors will enter the field of geriatric medicine.

A memorable part of my journey so far is the scholarship awards ceremony, which left a significant impact on me. Aside from the joy, jubilation, and pride from receiving the scholarship with my parents in attendance, the performance and programme prepared were very good. The scholarship ceremony gave me the opportunity to interact with fellow scholarship recipients, who are pursuing very different courses and career paths. It was an eye opener to learn about what the other scholarship holders are pursuing and I am sure that these social interactions will go a long way in the future.

Oil painting by Jun Yang – Triptych of a void deck.

Career-wise, I hope to specialise in geriatric medicine, but regardless of which specialty I go into, I will put my best foot forward and will perform my role diligently as a doctor. Hippocrates once said, “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” I aspire not just to be a doctor that treats my patients, but also to be a doctor that empathises with my patients. Treating a patient is as much a science as it is an art. The science involves the hardware and the knowledge medical school will equip me with, while the art comes from feeling for others, an act of concern and care. To be a good doctor, I hope to be developed in both the science and art of medicine as I progress throughout my career.

My advice for aspiring scholars: Be yourself, be confident in your abilities, and be genuine. Work hard but do not forget to play hard and enjoy the journey too. Lastly, you should have the desire and passion for whatever you are pursuing and to give back to the community when you have the means to.