Eun Sub Hong

I was fortunate enough to undertake the science communication subject taught by Dr. Jenny Martin during my Master of Biomedical Science degree.

The interactive subject helped me so much with my course that I was awarded the best research project as well as receiving the highest score during my final oral presentation in front of many students, supervisors and doctors. I learnt general skills that you can actually apply to the real world and also learnt how to express my voice, language and body behaviour in a certain way that others can feel comfortable and easily tune into. In addition, we were also taught alternate and better ways to help you write, from lay language to professional settings, so readers from all diverse backgrounds can understand and appreciate our hard work.

These individualised and detailed communication skills that I learnt from Jenny still apply while I currently study to become a dentist. According to Forbes 2017, the number 1 real-life job skill that employers are looking for is communication skills. It is not your grades or your school’s reputation that will help you get a job. Health professionals or even any other jobs in fact are expected, by the nature of their profession, to be competent communicators. It brings professionalism, interpersonal attractiveness and a sense of strong bonding to others that you can only form through conversation and presenting yourself. During my very first lecture, we were exposed to what CEOS of big companies expect from graduates applying for jobs. One quote that I remember was “what I look for when I am selecting a dentist to work in my clinic, is excellent communication skills and professionalism. Everything else can be taught!”

If you really want to strive and become someone that others can trust and even look up to you with respect, this subject coordinated beautifully by Jenny is a first steady step into heading towards that professional pathway.