I am Samuel Chau Jun Hao, a medical student at IMU. Prior to joining the medical programme, I was studying the Foundation in Science (FiS) programme at IMU. Personally for me, my journey during FIS in IMU was undoubtedly one of the most enriching and memorable experiences I’ve had in my life thus far.
From the engaging classes to the intriguing opportunities we were given to explore our interests, my FIS journey definitely laid a very strong foundation for me to transition smoothly into my MBBS degree.
Moreover, the curriculum in IMU is very well-crafted to encourage active and independent learning by students as they incorporate various elements such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL).
There were many elements within our lessons too that helped train us to think critically as future healthcare professionals. The subjects that we learned in FIS as well such as Biosciences and English for Healthcare Professionals also ensured that we would have a solid background knowledge and a robust head start when undertaking our degree.
Samuel (extreme left) and his team were one of the winning teams of the Mathematics-themed Escape Room Challenge. (Photo was taken prior to the Covid-19 pandemic)
Academics aside, IMU FIS also allowed me to participate in a wide array of interesting events such as the “Look, See, Feel” programme which undeniably broaden my understanding towards the different disciplines within the healthcare field. Furthermore, I was also given many opportunities to participate in various clubs and societies which helped me network with fellow students from other courses while enriching my campus life experience. Besides that, my time in IMU’s FIS has also empowered me to be a more capable leader as students here are always encouraged to voice out their feedback and discuss with the university’s management if they see a need for any room for improvement. Nevertheless, the one element in FIS that truly wins over my heart would be the dedicated lecturers who not only strive to impart their knowledge to us daily, but also ended up being lifetime mentors who guided us as we adapted into the university life. Having a lecturer as a personal mentor meant that I could always approach someone for advice whenever I faced challenges throughout my journey here. In addition to that, kudos to the lecturers who also went the extra mile in ensuring that our every lesson would be as interactive and interesting as possible even during this pandemic period. In short, the friendships that I have forged, the memories that I have created and the experiences I have gained within the one year in IMU FIS has truly shaped me to become a better student and given me the confidence to pursue medicine as my lifelong career. Related articles: Virtual Learning: A New Reality Mathematics-themed Escape Room Challenge : IMU’s Novel Way to Teach Pre-University Mathematics
