She started off wanting to save lives. Today, her dream career pathway is giving her the chance to become a practising specialist in the United States.
MBBS graduate Dr Angeline Chun Wai Kah has blazed a trail towards a promising medical career in the US after she was accepted for a residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center McKeesport in Pennsylvania.
The experience promises to be eye-opening, as UPMC is the largest nongovernment employer in Pennsylvania. It boasts a network of renowned centres of excellence in transplantation, cancer, neurosurgery, psychiatry, rehabilitation, geriatrics, and women’s health.
This priceless opportunity came along after Dr Angeline sat for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)—a pathway that gives all QIU medical students the chance to specialise and practise in the US. QIU’s curriculum is attuned to the USMLE, and our teaching, learning, and assessment methods prepare students for the examination.
Dr Angeline will be heading to the US in early June before her orientation. She will resume duty as a PGY1 internal medicine resident on July 1, 2024.
To be eligible for a residency programme, a candidate must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge), the Clinical Skills Assessment, and the Occupational English Test to obtain the ECFMG certificate. Dr Angeline completed both steps of the USMLE in less than a year!
Let’s hear more about this life-changing achievement from our young doctor herself!
Q: What made you take up the challenge to become an Internal Medicine resident in the US?
Angeline: With a strong sense of self-motivation and high aspiration, I have always dreamed of working in a world-class healthcare setting. One crucial factor is the highly specialised training offered by the three-year internal medicine residency program, which would allow me to fully immerse myself in this field of medicine that I truly enjoy. Another appealing aspect is the diversity of cases I would encounter in the US, where I could learn about diseases that are more prevalent in different populations, given the US is made up of people from all over the world. The clear pathway from residency to fellowship is also a reason why I chose to practice in the United States.
Q: How did you feel when you found out that you were matched in UPMC McKeesport?
A: I was overjoyed! UPMC McKeesport has always been my first choice during the application cycle. The friendly faculty and the opportunity to work under the big University of Pittsburgh umbrella are truly precious. I can’t believe I am going to Pennsylvania because I have heard many good things about this place! I could have never imagined that I would be given a chance to practice medicine in such a prestigious institution. Thank God for His blessings.
Q: Why did you choose internal medicine as a speciality?
A: My love for internal medicine stemmed from my interest in patient interaction. As an internal medicine physician, we regularly treat patients with chronic conditions. I prefer going through life with my patients and getting to know them well. Apart from that, it is the intricacies of internal medicine—nothing is too straightforward or too simple.
Things might not be as they seem, which is challenging and keeps me going. All the amazing lecturers at QIU taught me to know my patients as a whole, not only as individuals with particular disease conditions. It is because of them that I developed a great love for medicine.
Q: What are you looking forward to the most?
A: I look forward to practising medicine with a group of amazing people who share the same passion for medicine as I do. I also aspire to become a compassionate physician. My goal is to contribute to the field of medicine, whether by enhancing patient care, devising new treatment plans, or advocating for patients. Medicine is a constantly evolving field, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be working in my dream job.
I’m indebted to QIU Chief Operating Officer Mr Nicholas Goh, Faculty of Medicine Dean Dato Dr Sellaiah, all the lecturers, staff, students, and my family for the undying support and invaluable advice throughout my journey studying the pearls of medicine.
I am proud to have been a student at Quest International University, and I look forward to representing our alma mater proudly as I begin my residency.
