Students laud study options
SOMETIMES taking a bold step and refusing to give up on yourself is all it takes to achieve what you want.For five teenagers, not giving up on their ambitions and not settling for less was what led them to leave home for Bertam, a little town in Kepala Batas, Penang.
The five lasses have much in common.
They are all first-year students at the Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) in Kepala Batas, pursuing their Diploma in Medical Sciences.
Syahadah Mohd Ali, 19, from Bangi, Selangor, said AUCMS was the only college she knew that offered the Diploma in Medical Sciences to students from the arts stream.
"I have always dreamed about being a doctor so I knew I had to grab this opportunity. It was my only chance to realise my dream," said the president of the college's Medical Sciences Association (MSA).
For Penangite Yvonne Ong, 18, AUCMS was her second chance in pursuing her dream to become a dentist. She said she was just an average student in secondary school, as she was not very serious about her studies.
"This college has given me another chance to make things happen for myself.
"AUCMS is also located close to home and I can see my family every weekend. I cannot ask for anything more," said the George Town girl.
M. Sugaanti, 18, from Bukit Mertajam, Penang, also found a second chance at AUCMS.
She almost hit a dead-end when her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results could not win her scholarships or a matriculation spot to help her realise her dream to be a doctor.
"I consulted my school councillor, who told me about AUCMS and the Diploma in Medical Sciences. I came to the college to get more information and the rest was history," she said.
Sugaanti said the three-year programme was also challenging as students have to work very hard.
"I believe in the end, we will be better doctors than our peers who did not go through this diploma programme because of all the hard work," she said.
T. Karthiapurani, 19, from Tanjung Malim, Perak, was aspiring to be an interior designer but her SPM results made her change her mind.
She thought with six As, she should aim for something higher instead of settling with interior designing.
"I believed I can do better so I decided to pursue medicine."
Aziyani Azizan, 18, from Kangar, Perlis, said she was thrilled with the new experiences she was getting at AUCMS.
The serene environment away from the hustle and bustle of city life, she said, was great in helping her focus her attention on her studies.
"This place has given me a new life, a new passion to study. I am also glad that it is close to my hometown," she said.
Source - NST