In this edition of Student Blogs, Yew Chung International School of Beijing valedictorian and previous student blog contributor Wan Teng Lee discusses her exceptional IBDP results as well as her eager anticipation for university life.

How long did you study at YCIS Beijing?

I was with YCIS from Year 4 until my graduation in Year 13.

What are your fondest memories?

YCIS Beijing has provided me with a myriad of fond memories. To mention a few, I loved the days where we took some class time out to enjoy snacks, specifically all of Ms. Sands’ baked goods and Mr. Mellen’s cookies and cakes. In addition, I always enjoyed Mr. Payne’s sense of humour and his very practical life skills and university survival skills. Joining extra-curricular activities was also a must for me; I established quite a fond relationship with Ms. Yu as I’ve been in the school orchestra for 7 years.

What are the favourite IBDP subjects you took and why?  

My favourite subjects are naturally Biology and Chemistry as I have a strong interest in Medicine. I loved the process of writing my Internal Assessment as it gave me an opportunity to engage in my own research regarding my area of interest. Despite the challenge, I really enjoyed the process of trial-end-error in order to design the most safe and practical experiments. Those were times where I felt like a true independent scientist and I thank IB for integrating this element into its subjects.

How does it feel to have achieved such strong results?

I was happily surprised by my results when they were first released. I felt that all the hard work I’ve put into my studies have really paid off. Moreover, I made sure to reach out to my teachers to express how thankful I was for their hard work and patience over the years.

However, having said that, I did not think it was appropriate to become overly joyed about it. After all, all I asked for was to meet university entry requirements, so anything above that was just a bonus. Having confirmed my place at university, the nervousness of starting school at a completely foreign environment is beginning to kick in…

Which university do you plan to attend this year?

I will be studying in The University of Nottingham this upcoming September.

What is your chosen degree and why?

I’ve chosen to study Medicine as this has been a long lived passion of mine. To be able to serve in healthcare is not only rewarding, but also intellectually stimulating, socially challenging, and ethically demanding. I would love to engage in a career that allows me to give to the community while also acquire sophisticated knowledge.

What are your plans after university? 

After my 5 years in university, I would have to go through two compulsory years of clinical placements in the UK, known as my Foundation Years. This is an essential step into becoming a fully licensed doctor. I haven’t put much thought it what happens after that but I would most likely specialise, depending on which field I’m most interested in.

What are your hopes for the future?

At the moment, I’m just hoping to succeed in university as Medicine is a course known for its difficulty and stressfulness. In addition, I am most definitely going to join all sorts of societies in university to meet new friends and enjoy the social aspects of university. I’m trying not to overthink what happens after my 7 years of university and clinical placements as I want to keep my future open to surprises!