From Singapore to New York City: Eagles Unite in Medical School

The myriad of science courses at Singapore American School inspired alumnus Alfred Chin (class of 2014) and alumna Ryka Sehgal (class of 2014) to pursue careers in the field of medicine. They give us insights on getting into and thriving in medical school.

Alfred Chin (class of 2014)
What was your educational and career path after leaving SAS?
I went to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for college—double majoring in neuroscience and biophysics and completing a master’s degree in neuroscience. Afterward, I started my MD-PhD at the Weill Cornell, Rockefeller, and Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional Program in New York City and will be graduating in 2027.

Do you know what you want to specialize in?
My goal is to integrate an academic clinical practice with my own research lab at a medical school. Clinically, I’m interested in pathology. I’m leaning towards pathology because I really enjoy the scientific and laboratory aspects of medicine. Pathologists use molecular techniques to make diagnoses that help guide treatment plans (e.g., precision medicine), and this is particularly important for oncology.

What led you to want to go into a career in medicine?
Although I always liked the idea of being a doctor growing up, my goals really crystallized when I was introduced to laboratory research. I am passionate about making discoveries that have therapeutic potential, and I believe that understanding how medicine is practiced provides a framework that guides my research. Thus, pursuing an MD-PhD was an attractive route.

What is it like to be in medical school?
Medical school is very fun because you are with about a hundred other like-minded people your age doing the same thing. It’s actually kind of like high school all over again. Although there’s definitely a lot of studying, being in New York City means that there are lots of fun things to do during the weekends. The most memorable aspects are interacting with patients and doing hands-on things like physical exams and surgeries. I don’t think I will ever forget the first time I assisted on a C-section!

Has anything surprised you about medical school?
Medicine is an ever-changing field! During my medicine clerkship earlier this year, our team had several Covid-19 patients on our floor. The attending physician and residents were making treatment decisions based on research that was published only a couple of weeks earlier!

How has Covid-19 impacted you personally and your education?
It’s pretty wild to have a global pandemic during the first year of medical school. In March 2020 when my classes went virtual, I flew back home to Singapore and stayed until June 2020. The time difference meant that I was basically nocturnal for three months. But an inspiring element of the pandemic is that everyone gets to see the importance of scientific research in medicine, particularly with mRNA technology in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Did your experience at SAS inspire you for medical school and a career in medicine?
SAS greatly influenced my career. Having taken AP Calculus AB, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics B in my junior year, I wanted to do something science-related outside the classroom as a senior. We were the first cohort to have the Capstone [now Catalyst] program, and I was fortunate to land a research internship at the Mechanobiology Institute in National University Singapore after cold-emailing dozens of professors. Working in Dr. Yusuke Toyama’s lab really inspired me to continue pursuing laboratory research in college.

Did you have a favorite class or teacher at SAS?
Meredith White (Accelerated Chemistry and AP Chemistry) and Paul Terrile (AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC) were fantastic mentors who were key to my growth in the sciences.

What are your fondest memories of SAS?
Strings class with Stephen Bonnette for all four years of high school was super fun and filled with memories. During April Fool’s Day in ninth grade, Mr. Bonnette and I coordinated a stunt in front of the whole class in which he pretended to get mad at me and literally broke an old bow he’d given me beforehand. Auditioning for and attending AMIS orchestra festivals in Beijing, Brussels, Shanghai, and Dusseldorf, as well as IASAS Cultural Conventions, were extremely memorable.

What advice do you have for those who want to go to medical school?
Get involved in extracurricular activities! Medicine is deeply interconnected with other fields such as public health, government, scientific research, and journalism.

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Ryka Sehgal (class of 2014)
What was your educational and career path after leaving SAS?
After graduating from SAS, I pursued my bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where I majored in neuroscience with a minor in Asian languages and cultures. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Honors College at UCLA with a research thesis in neuropsychiatry. After college, I came to New York City to do a research gap year at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Brain and Mind Research Institute and The Rockefeller University while applying to medical schools. I loved the faculty and academic environment at Cornell (and all the perks of NYC!), so it was an easy decision to stay when deciding on a medical school.

What do you want to specialize in?
I’m still deciding, but most likely I will apply for a residency in neurology. I was a neuroscience major in college and have always loved learning about the brain! Much of my research time has been spent exploring neuro-oncology, severe brain injury, and neurosurgery. It’s been wonderful to see how quickly the specialty is evolving in both research and clinical spaces. There are elements of palliative care, trauma/critical care medicine, and behavioral health in neurology that all really appeal to me.

What led you to want to go into a career in medicine?
I originally was interested in clinical research, but the more time I spent working with patients and their families, the more I discovered that medicine was the right path for me. I still am able to do research in my (albeit more limited) spare time, but am captivated by pathophysiology and the ways even simple therapeutic interventions can impact lives. I love the interpersonal relationships you can cultivate in medicine, and how much of a difference you can make at the bedside by being an astute diagnostician, good listener, and team player.

What is it like to be in medical school?
It is challenging in the best way. Medical school continually pushes you to be the best versions of yourself all at once—the best scientist, humanitarian, leader, and teammate. It comes with plenty of early mornings, late nights, intensive studying, and on-the-go meals, but the time I’ve spent working with patients and making even small differences makes it well worth it. A typical day starts with pre-rounds and checking in with the overnight staff, followed by morning rounds with the residents and attendings, and afternoons for procedures, family meetings, or following up on any patient-care related tasks. In the evenings, there’s studying for exams, research work, and squeezing in time for family, friends, and hobbies!

Has anything surprised you about medical school?
The best surprise to come out of medical school has been the camaraderie with my classmates. I have been so buoyed by the collaborative spirit of my peers, and I couldn’t have guessed before coming to medical school just how valuable it would be to have a cohort of driven, eager learners around me who are so invested in supporting each other through this demanding process. We create a judgment-free safety net around each other when times are tough, and celebrate wins together in an accepting environment every day.

How has Covid-19 impacted you personally and your education and/or career?
Some of our classes at the start of the pandemic transitioned to online classes, but our clinical rotations have remained in-person in the hospital. Covid-19 has made the practice of medicine challenging in many ways but has also impressed upon me the incredible resilience of the healthcare providers I get to work with. It has been a privilege to learn from them as we adjust to the new normal of wearing PPE all day in the hospital, reconciling with public fears around the infection, and trying our best to deliver the highest quality of care for all patients.

Did your experience at SAS prepare you for medical school and a career in medicine?
Physics inspired my passion for science (the electrophysiology in neuroscience is what originally drew me to the major), and American Studies taught me how to be a good critical thinker and deductive reasoner. My foundation in Chinese through the SAS language curriculum has also been an immense asset when working with patients who have Chinese as a first language. Overall, the multi-cultural and strong academic curriculum at SAS was a wonderful space for enjoying diversity and learning in a nurturing, highly-motivated environment.

What are your fondest memories of SAS?
Choreographing for and performing in the dance shows, trying foods from all over the world at the County Fairs, and having the opportunity to travel to Thailand, Bhutan, China, and Myanmar on Interim Semester trips.