Jewel Ng: Finding Her Passion for Medicine and Providing Care for All

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Jewel Ng has always had an interest in studying medicine.

However, when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Ng started to look at a career in medicine differently.

“I think seeing how her oncologist handled things, and just like the general process of dealing with something as difficult as that,” Ng said.

That’s why Ng has a goal of not only treating people, but for truly taking care of them.

Today, she is pursuing medicine as a second-year student at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and served as a Robert A. Winn clinical investigator intern at UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Health Promotion Research.

“It’s completely different to actually and be part of that experience of having to drive them to, like chemotherapy, having to take them to all of their appointments, and seeing the physical changes,” Ng said.

Exploring Her Interest in Medicine

Ng was working toward her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, in biochemistry.

When she volunteered at community hospitals, her career interest shifted.

“Medicine was a field that ended up just being something that I chose because of the experiences that I had, as well as just the fundamental way that medicine is done,” Ng said.

Ng expressed that being with her mother during her cancer journey showed her a different side of healthcare.

“It was the just the way that you can be there for people, support people in times of need, and really serve as a pillar for them, especially when it’s something that’s completely unfamiliar to a lot of people,” she said.

Growing up the youngest of three siblings with a Malaysian father and Chinese mother, Ng also spoke of how her heritage influences her mindset.

“They really emphasized working hard for what you get, and if you don’t get it, then you just work harder,” she said. “The mindset of you should do your best for yourself, but also for your family.”

Ng and Facing Challenges

The journey to and through medical school can be a tough one.

For Ng, leaving her home in Colorado to pursue her education felt isolating at times, like she was a small fish in a big pond.

“When I stepped off the plane at LAX, I was a little shocked. I will say, I think it was a very big adjustment for me,” she said.

On top of this big transition, Ng’s mother was going through cancer treatment.

“My mom, she didn’t want anybody to know that she had cancer, so we weren’t allowed to tell anybody,” she said. “I really struggled in terms of academics, obviously, because I had a lot of my mind.”

Despite the challenges, Ng would finish her undergraduate degree and take some time away before officially starting medical school.

“Getting readjusted to studying and getting readjusted to being around new people, it can be kind of draining. But I try to remind myself that this is what I wanted to do. This is the passion that I have,” she said.

Continuing Education and the Future

Along her educational path, Ng credits many as mentors.

“Every single person that I interact with; they leave you with a lasting impression. I think the people that you work for, good or bad, really do impact the way that you approach medicine,” she said.

However, Ng did name one specific role model she’s had throughout her life.

“The only role model that I can say for sure that I strive to be like every day is my mom,” she said.

Ng has learned something from every experience, mentor, and job she’s had so far.

“The personalities and traits that you want to have, to carry into being a doctor, it’s a combination of all the doctors that you shadow, all the doctors that you work with,” Ng said.

For students and others hoping to take the same path, Ng says it’s important to keep swimming in that big pond, regardless of how big it can feel.

“When you are considering medicine and you are doing your best on your path, you just have to say that ‘I’m swimming in the current that I am in, and I’m doing my best.’”

As she’s continued to gain experience, she’s also developed a love for research.

So, Ng jumped at the chance to participate in the Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program. As part of the program, she completed a six-week summer internship at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio, led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, and its Mays Cancer Center.

“I applied to this program because you’re primarily going to meet the people that are passionate about working in those [struggling] communities,” she said.

In terms of the future, Ng isn’t sure what she specifically wants to specialize in.

But she knows that she wants to be happy, healthy, and working in medicine.

“Having somebody who is knowledgeable about the disease is great. But having somebody who knows how to make you feel better is even more important,” Ng said.