Internships & clinical exposure

• Shadowed the physician for four weeks, approximately 15 hours per week
• Observed 200+ consultations
• Recorded vitals including blood pressure, pulse, SpO2, and temperature under supervision
• Assisted with basic patient care
• Maintained a de-identified log of 40 cases

• Clinical observation
• History-taking basics
• Measuring vitals
• Patient communication
• Medical ethics
• Confidentiality

Watching a doctor listen patiently to 60 patients a day showed me that medicine is as much about trust as science. Seeing neurological complaints like migraines and numbness made me more curious about the brain.

• Followed 300+ samples from collection to report
• Observed CBC and peripheral-smear microscopy
• Observed HbA1c and thyroid testing
• Learnt basic haematology concepts and quality-control procedures
• Prepared a two-page report on anaemia patterns using anonymised data

• Laboratory safety
• Microscopy
• Haematology basics
• Quality control
• Interpreting lab reports
• Basic data analysis

Seeing how many reports showed low haemoglobin opened my eyes to how common anaemia is. That insight directly led me to start the Iron Strong screening camps.

• Worked approximately 20 hours per week
• Prepared culture media
• Practised Gram staining
• Observed Kirby-Bauer antibiotic-sensitivity testing
• Summarised anonymised antibiogram data from 500 isolates into a resistance-trend brief

• Aseptic techniques
• Gram staining
• Culture and sensitivity interpretation
• Antimicrobial resistance analysis
• Scientific record-keeping

Seeing bacteria resist drug after drug on a culture plate made antimicrobial resistance real to me. Working with a microbiologist showed me how lab evidence guides treatment and confirmed my interest in biology research.