I spent my summer of 2018 at the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore. This post serves as my account of this highly memorable experience.

This is a picture of the building from the outside. National Neuroscience Institute is the national specialty centre for the management and care of neurological diseases in Singapore, providing treatment for a broad range of illnesses that affect the brain, spine, nerve and muscle. This picture does not do justice to how massive the hospital is – it stretches all the way to the back!

Exploring the area the night before, just to make sure I won’t be lost on the first day… Needless to say this information sign was extremely helpful.

This poster can be found on the Institute’s main entrance. It is remarkable how the Institute has developed and excelled into one of the region’s most reputable centre for neurological diseases in its relatively short history.

I was also with another student Tim during my time at the Institute. We had lots of conversation topics give our common interest in neuroscience, and it’s a shame that he was not at the Institute for as long as I was!

p.s. the white shirts are purely coincidental.

Days can start very early and end very late here at the Institute. Fortunately my friend here will be there with you all the way at any time of the day. I am grateful that he was there throughout my time at the Institute (no hard feelings Tim..)

With some of the doctors at the office. We all come from different backgrounds but what brings us together is our passion for clinical neuroscience. They are all very friendly and highly knowledgeable in the field.

Work hard and play hard(er) they say…. So I took the opportunity to explore the island during my time in Singapore as well. This building here is the Old Hill Street Police Station. I wouldn’t mind an office as colourful….

This here is the Central Fire Station. I admire how the white car on the right (not the sedan) is just casually blocking the entrance….

I also experienced the local cuisines. Many are available at hawker stores, an open air complex housing many different stalls surrounding the seating areas. The stalls sell delicious food at affordable prices.

Durian is a fruit well-known and highly popular in Southeast Asia (perhaps not so much Scotland) for its strong ‘aroma’ and its formidable thorn-covered rinds. Normally durians are prohibitively expensive but apparently it was the once-in-a-blue-moon durian season the day I first arrived. Durians are in abundance and as much as 90% cheaper. Everyone, including the doctors and the nurses at the Institute, has been all over it. You can see the fruit on the left and the mile-long queue on the right. Your welcome, Singapore..

Taking another picture with the logo on my last day (this time Tim has left). The experience has been enriching and greatly facilitates my personal and academic development. I have made many new friends and learnt many things along the journey. This experience has also reaffirmed my interest in pursuing clinical neuroscience as a future career. I am grateful for the Principal’s Go Abroad Fund for helping me realise this experience. Thank you for reading!