It all started in February 2019 when I joined IMU as a Chinese Medicine student. It was not an easy decision to study Chinese Medicine in IMU where English is the main medium of teaching and learning activities, even for Chinese Medicine. Can you imagine studying a Chinese-originated course in English? There were so many doubts and uncertainties accompanying my decision to study at IMU, from friends and family, and even partly from my deep self.
Luckily, throughout the journey, my family supported me unconditionally; peers and lecturers I met in IMU are supportive and lovely; most importantly, IMU provided an equipped and optimal environment to learn and grow. These are all the reasons how I successfully graduated from a bachelor’s degree in IMU Chinese Medicine programme and am currently pursuing a master’s degree at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM) with Chinese Government Scholarship.
IMU has broadened my horizons both in terms of knowledge and experience. The university is a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds. I have had the privilege of studying alongside students from different countries, ethnicities, and backgrounds. We worked and studied together, learning from one another with our different viewpoints and values. It has taught me that there are various ways to perceive a thing, and no single perspective is absolute, allowing me to keep learning and accepting different perspectives.
At the same time, the IMU coursework demands critical thinking, research, and analysis from students. Lecturers encourage students to question, to discover, and not to be satisfied merely with the knowledge from textbooks. To optimise the learning process, hands-on sessions, workshops, case studies, classroom discussions, and clinical attachments are implemented throughout the programme. This has not only expanded my knowledge but also equipped me with the professional skills for my career.
One of the precious opportunities given by IMU, which I appreciate the most, was the practical experience in student clinic during my final semester. IMU Chinese Medicine Student Clinic provided a platform for students to practise. Under the supervision of the lecturers (qualified and registered Chinese Medicine practitioners), students treat their patients, gaining early exposure to professional work environments. That was the “golden time” when my confidence and clinical skills had improved drastically.
I also love how IMU emphasises on the social experiences of students in our university life. It has provided an environment where active engagement in extra curriculum activities is a norm among students. There are activities from various clubs and societies, programmes, and events happening throughout the year. The highlights of my university life were becoming a student ambassador, participating as a member of the events committee, attending conferences, joining a student mobility programme to Taiwan, and many other activities.
The Chinese Medicine Department also organised educational field trips, charity clinics, and student organised-Chinese Medicine events, which are also held routinely. With these priceless experiences, I learned to explore, to solve, and to grow. This has not only honed my interpersonal and leadership skills, but also opened my eyes to a world of possibilities, transforming me into a more open-minded and adaptable individual.
In short, I appreciate the cultivating environment that the campus had given to me in the 4.5 years of my university life, I felt well prepared to engage in my career and have few difficulties in furthering my studies overseas upon graduating from IMU.
Words can’t express my gratitude enough. All the achievements I have fulfilled are not from me alone. They are the gifts given by my family, the university, my lecturers, supervisors, peers, and friends. Once again, thank you for having me, thank you for growing me to a better self.
Written by Yee Shu Shuen, who graduated with her Chinese Medicine degree on 4 November 2023. She is the recipient of the Tun Zahir Merit Award which is given to a graduating student who has shown outstanding academic excellence in his/her graduating cohort.
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