‘Family’ dinners, soft skills workshops and more: Creating a culture of support helps medical students adapt and excel

“It was really nice,” recalls Ms Kala. “When you’re in your second year especially, you’re constantly stressed, thinking, ‘Are you learning enough? Are you a good enough doctor?’

“It was nice to have someone invite us home, take care of us, give us food, tell us that they have been through similar things,” she continues. “Just having someone to talk to and listen to us is very reassuring.” 

Even as the pandemic subsides, these heartening Christmas dinners – which also took place in 2021 and 2022 – have become a new annual tradition for Duke-NUS. 

A culture of peer support

But Ms Kala, then a student council member, was also an advocate of peer support in helping her fellow students achieve academic success while caring for their mental well-being, the need for which was particularly acute during the pandemic when gathering in groups was not always possible. 

When it was impossible to have face-to-face interactions during the circuit breaker, for example, Ms Kala made sure that her peers managed to practise physical examination skills.

So she and her fellow council members organised video call sessions over Zoom, with over 100 students breaking out into groups of three or four for assessments. It took three whole weekends, but every student eventually received the opportunity to practise their physical examinations virtually.

With support from Student Affairs, she also organised several student wellness initiatives, like the distribution of festive welfare packs and terrarium making. 

Since then, the school has continued to organise activities and events aimed at supporting students’ mental and emotional health, such as the WellNUS Festival. Held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day in October, the festival promotes wellness among NUS staff and students through fun activities such as archery, kayaking and latte-making. 

The Student Affairs team also hosts quarterly meetings with each class over a meal to create a safe space for students to connect, voice their opinions and collaborate, says Dr Goh.