When I received the invitation to speak to the STEM Club at SJI International, I didn’t even hesitate, I said yes before I’d really thought it through. Maybe it was nostalgia. Maybe it was because I’d just moved back to Singapore after several years abroad and was feeling sentimental. Or maybe, deep down, I just missed that energy you only find in the classrooms and corridors of SJI International. 

On Giving Back 

Coming back to campus wasn’t just about giving a talk; it was about giving back. Sadly, when you start working in medicine you quickly realise that learning never really stops. AI is reshaping the landscape faster than anyone can keep track of, and the next generation is going to inherit a healthcare system that looks radically different from the one I trained in.

So I wanted to do my bit, to spark curiosity early, to show that AI isn’t some distant, intimidating concept, but something that’s already in our hospitals and clinics, changing the way we diagnose and treat patients.

The SJI International Effect

Looking back, I realise that much of who I am, how I approach my work, how I interact with people, and even how I deal with failure, comes from those years at SJI International. This school gives you space to be human. You’re surrounded by a culture that encourages compassion and curiosity and not just blind academic competitiveness. There’s a sense that you’re allowed to care about things outside your own grades.

Quite paradoxically, I honestly believe I have outperformed my academic potential largely because of this environment. SJI International teaches you to push the ceiling of what you think you can do, but it also reminds you to celebrate the people doing the pushing beside you. That balance and ambition paired with empathy is rare, and it’s what makes our community special.

It’s also a school that lets you be weird. And that’s a compliment. The quirks, the peculiar interests, the teachers who indulge them, all of it builds people who aren’t afraid to think differently. Innovation doesn’t come from fitting in; it comes from noticing what everyone else has overlooked.

My Back-to-campus Meeting with the STEM Club

The main idea I wanted to get across to the students was simple: AI is changing faster than you can imagine and that’s okay. By the time they’re ready to work in healthcare, the tools, algorithms, and ethics surrounding AI will look nothing like they do now. The key isn’t to memorise what exists today, but to build the habit of staying curious.

I told them not to cherry-pick the positives, that real innovation comes from understanding both the power and the pitfalls of AI. I showed them examples of when AI “black boxes” had blindsided even the biggest tech and healthcare organisations, leading to biased or suboptimal outcomes. It’s exciting, but it’s not magic. Human judgement still matters, maybe more than ever.

And that’s the beauty of blending science with empathy. AI can process millions of data points, but it can’t feel the responsibility of a wrong decision. That part will always be on us.

Why Clubs Like STEM Matter

In school, I’ll admit, I was often short-sighted. I thought the world revolved around the next test or football match. The real world, as it turns out, is much bigger and a lot scarier. But that’s exactly why student clubs like STEM are so important.

They’re the first taste of what it means to collaborate on something uncertain, to take an idea, experiment, fail, and still come back the next week to try again. It’s where curiosity turns into discipline, and enthusiasm turns into problem-solving. And maybe most importantly, it’s where you learn that intelligence means nothing if you can’t communicate it to someone else. These are the lessons that don’t show up on transcripts but shape everything that comes after.

A Note to Other Alumni

If you’re thinking about reconnecting with the school, just do it. You don’t need to have an elaborate plan or a presentation deck. The most valuable thing we can offer isn’t expertise, it’s perspective. The students don’t need perfect success stories; they need to see real people who’ve stumbled, recalibrated, and still found their way forward.