During the 26th UNIMAS Convocation Ceremony, RAKAN Sarawak had the opportunity to interview two recipients of Yayasan Sarawak Scholarship from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science.
Yayasan Sarawak has offered scholarships to Sarawakian students to pursue medical studies in order to achieve the target of producing 200 medical doctors within five (5) years to meet the need for specialist doctors in hospitals in the state, including rural areas.
The UNIMAS convocation ceremony begins on 31 October 2022 (Monday) and will conclude on 3 November (Thursday).
Eugenius Then Ji Xuan
Eugenius Then Ji Xuan was seen beaming from ear to ear and taking photos with his parents during the 26th UNIMAS Convocation Ceremony.
Having joined UNIMS in 2017, he was among the 35 graduates of the Doctor of Medicine programme from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science to be presented with scrolls to at the second session of UNIMAS’s 26th Convocation Ceremony.
He was also the recipient of Anugerah Graduan Cemerlang Yayasan Sarawak (Non-Bumiputera category).
Anugerah Graduan Cemerlang Yayasan Sarawak is an award fully sponsored by Yayasan Sarawak to UNIMAS graduates born in Sarawak who have obtained excellent results in the academic and curriculum fields.
“This scholarship was very prestigious because it was sponsored fully our tuition and allowances which cover appliances and accommodation.”
“With this, we are bonded with Sarawak for 10 years and I planned to serve in Sarawak and later on further my studies to be a surgeon in the future,” he said.
According to Eugenius, he will need to register with Public Services Commission of Malaysia (SPA) and the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) before he can get placement.
“The earliest would probably be in February to April next year. For the first two (2) years, we get to apply according to our own choice, so I will likely be applying to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH),” he said.
When asked what he thinks about being posted to work in rural areas, Eugenius said he is open for it.
“I have no problem with it as long as I have the opportunity to do what I love, so the location does not really matter,” he said.
As a future doctor, Eugenius said that one day he would like to be in paediatric surgery, working with children.
“I had the opportunity to be attached in that unit sometime this year for eight (8) weeks and I enjoyed what they do,” he said.
While Eugenius loves the medical field and cannot imagine doing anything else, he advice those who would like to pursue similar path to know what they are doing.
“It is okay to try and pursue this field, and you can leave if you find it not suitable for you. But if you love it, you need to make sure you complete your study.”
“It can be stressful, but it is the same for any other programmes. But I think, the most important thing is that you love what you do, so that the stress is the one that pushes you through and not bringing you down,” he advised.
Siti Zulaikha Binti Ishak
Siti Zulaikha Binti Ishak from Demak Laut was also among the recipients of the Yayasan Sarawak Scholarship.
Having graduated from the Nursing programme under the Faculty of Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, the 23-year-old said that the reason why she chose the course was because she enjoyed working with people.
“I like environment that involves working with people and helping them,” she said.
Reminiscing her time as a nursing student, she said she has a lot of good memories during her time as a student.
“As nursing students, we got posted to various places such as the Kota Sentosa Hospital sometime last year for six (6) weeks. There, we met patients with mental illness and conducted various activities with them and we had the chance to work with the communities,” she said.
After four (4) years of study, Siti Zulaikha explained that, one must apply to obtain the Annual Practising Certificate (APC) from the Nursing Board of Malaysia to work as a registered nurse in Malaysia.
She also hinted that she planned to further her master degree in the future.
“But before I can do that, I must have a few years of working experience first under my belt,” she said adding that she prefers to work in Kuching to gain experience.
“For the future, I am interested to become a clinical instructor or maybe working with UNIMAS,” she added.
When asked what she thinks if she has the opportunity to work in rural areas, Siti Zulaikha said that she is open for the experience, although she might only be able to work in private hospitals.
“I am open for it, however, for now, government hospitals will only take students from Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu (KSKB),” she said.
Describing her time as a nursing student as rewarding, Siti Zulaikha advised those who are interested in pursing the same field as her to just go for it.
“It can be quite stressful sometimes but my advice is just to go with the flow and know how to enjoy the little moments.” “To be honest, I did not expect it to be hard, but it was fun for me having to go around in various places and meeting people,” said Siti Zulaikha.
