My NYP Advantage: Empowered to excel as a MOHH Integrated Nursing Scholar
We caught up with Rajendran Rajesh (Dip. in Nursing, Class of 2023) on how NYP’s supportive environment enabled the MOHH Integrated Nursing Scholar to fulfil his aspirations.
Rajesh recently graduated with First Class Honours from King's College London BSc Nursing Programme.
Congratulations on your graduation! You had an exciting university journey, and we hear you'll be fulfilling your scholarship bond at the National Heart Centre Singapore. Could you share how your time at NYP helped build the foundation and confidence that led to these exciting developments?
Tapping on the expertise of nursing lecturers and the plethora of leadership and developmental opportunities at NYP, I prioritised my growth beyond being a clinical nurse.
- Ms Joyce Neo, a senior lecturer at NYP and an advisor to the School of Health and Social Sciences Club is one of the many lecturers who played a significant role in my holistic development at NYP! From trusting me with opportunities to believing in me to deliver good outcomes, Ms Joyce exemplified what it means to nurture budding generations. She has inspired me to be a supportive mentor to my peers.
- I was the Head of Training of the Current Affairs & Debating club, which boosted my confidence in public speaking. My positive experience inspires me to continue imparting my public speaking skills to my juniors.
Rajesh was the Best Overall Speaker at the Inter-Polytechnic Debating Championship 2022. He participated with two friends, and they would bounce ideas off one another to ensure they are on the same line of argument.
- Realising my interest in nursing research early, I took up the Diploma-Plus programme at NYP to build my research skills before entering university. In particular, the module “Literature Appraisal & Academic Writing” gave me the skills to conduct literature searches, appraisals and reviews, and apply rhetorical theory in academic writing.
Graduating with a GPA of 4.0, Rajesh received the Tay Eng Soon Health & Social Sciences Award for being top of his cohort; and the Ngee Ann Kongsi Award for All-Round Achievement for being NYP's most outstanding diploma graduate.
Did you make NYP's Diploma in Nursing your first choice? What made you confident that NYP was the right choice to help you achieve your goals?
Yes, with no second thoughts! Apart from NYP’s vibrant culture, its reputation as a pioneering nursing school affirmed my choice. I particularly loved the emphasis on practical competencies in NYP’s nursing curriculum, which built my confidence in the clinical environment.
During his internship, Rajesh cared for patients in a cardiothoracic ward and received the Outstanding Student Nurse Award from Prof. Fong Kok Yong and Adj. Assoc. Prof. Tracy Carol Ayre from SingHealth.
What advice would you share with prospective students interested in Nursing? How can they make the most of this programme for future opportunities?
Don't limit yourself based on what has been made possible by others. Look towards setting new records in life to inspire others.
While opportunities to develop yourself may exist, we as students need to leverage all available resources to nurture ourselves. Taking ownership of our growth and being inquisitive is essential to making our academic journey rewarding.
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