An opportunity for exchange in a foreign country out
of the comfort zone, no matter which country it is, is always a privilege for
an undergraduate. KI was my choice of host university because of its
student-oriented teaching and engagement in critical discussion as I heard from
my friends who have been there before. The students from KI are definitely more
outspoken than most students in NTU, as challenging questions are always raised
through the seminars and lectures. Through the experience, I have learnt to
speak up during the sessions, raising questions and answering questions.
On
top of the lectures, laboratory sessions and seminars, the class was brought on
trips around the hospital facilities (the lessons are mostly conducted in the
hospital near the school) on one occasion. I actually had the chance to look at
the magnificent equipment for a radiotherapy session and a brachytherapy
performed on a patient. The experience offered by the department seeks to help
us understand how biomedical research is assimilated into clinical and bedside
practices. The department also held sessions for us to interact with current
Ph.D. students, to help us understand the nature of the job and research done
by the graduate students. These are truly eye-opening experiences that you may
not get in Singapore.