BACK in 2002, Ms Ong Chiew Hyen's grandmother was admitted to the National University Hospital (NUH) to treat a fracture.

"The nurses and physiotherapists attending to her were very professional and friendly. They made my grandma's stay very pleasant," recalls Ms Ong.

"I was inspired to be like them to make a difference in people's lives."

Today, the 24-year-old National Healthcare Group (NHG) Scholarship holder is a radiation therapist at the NUH Radiotherapy Centre.

NUH is one of the member institutions under the NHG.

Ms Ong first received her training in radiation therapy at Nanyang Polytechnic.

Subsequently, she went to the University of Sydney, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in applied science (medical radiation sciences - radiation therapy).

For Ms Ong, besides her prior experience with the medical professionals of NUH, another reason why she chose a career with NHG was the impression she had of the organisation.

She saw it as an organisation that values its staff, and provides ample opportunities for growth and career development.

"I believe that choosing NHG would allow me to learn while I live," she says.

For her, a typical day starts with the first patient session at 8.30am, while the last one is at 5.30pm.

With her colleagues, Ms Ong plans and carries out treatment schedules, administers dosages accurately
and makes sure that the patients are responding well to the treatment.

But for many health-care professionals like Ms Ong, a big part of their job and job satisfaction is the interaction with the patients.

"It is important to communicate with our patients to find out how they are coping with the treatment course and answer all their doubts on radiation therapy.

"Often, because we work so closely with them, we end up becoming friends with our patients," she says.

She still remembers the notes of appreciation and the thank-you cards that she has received.

"The typical day becomes "atypical" when we engage in conversations with our patients. It is the patients' interaction that makes every day a different day.

"Many patients feel very comfortable to talk to us about anything and everything under the sun," she says.

She would like to think that her happy disposition and her smile and laughter have reached out to many - not just her patients, but also her colleagues at NUH.

"I hope my smile may in turn brighten the day of my patients and colleagues," she says.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 19, 2008