Giving Back to the Community: A Commitment to Service and Compassion
Explore how you can make a difference in communities while shaping the future of healthcare through compassion and action.
10 December 2024
To be a healthcare professional of high calibre requires not just sound medical knowledge and skills, but also empathy and a desire to help others. At Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), the pursuit of medical knowledge and clinical excellence goes hand in hand with a deep commitment to community service.
In fact, community service forms an integral part of medical education at NUMed. Students are encouraged to look beyond textbooks and think about the larger impact that they can have on others. They are nurtured to become healthcare professionals who are also passionate about making a real difference in the lives of those around them. This is made possible via a wide range of volunteer and outreach programmes that provide a platform for them to demonstrate that healthcare extends beyond the walls of hospitals.
According to Ahmad Ilyasa Bin Basheer Ahmad, a Year 3 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) student and the NUMed Student Association’s Clinical Representative, “I was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare based on the idea that those you treat may potentially live on to serve a great purpose in their lives and ours.”
“I perceive giving back to the community to be a necessity as it is similar to a return of investment—the profit you gain as a result of investment. It is essential to target the source of health and economic burdens to minimise the likelihood of evitable comorbidities.
Our annual Health Camp, organised by our Year 5 MBBS students, is one of the most highly anticipated outreach programmes. Incorporating activities like health screenings, mental and physical wellbeing activities, and workshops on health and hygiene, the event is often held at villages nearby, providing an avenue for our students to do their part for local communities.
Besides that, our thriving Student Association indirectly encourages the well-being of students, hosting a myriad of events that cater to the needs of our students and ensuring that they enjoy proper study-life balance.
“Malaysia is diverse, and this also holds true among the NUMed community. Encouraging students to organise and host societies is beneficial in satisfying their intricate needs,” said Ahmad Ilyasa.
When asked which volunteer experience left the most profound impact on him, he cited cleaning the beach of debris. “While a seemingly miniscule endeavour, the impact spans across numerous aspects—from financial to biological and even psychological benefits. Cleaning is a form of therapy that also uplifts the ecosystem!” he explained.
