"PHS used to be called public health screening but we changed it to service because we now go beyond the screening. We now have many other aspects to it like primary prevention where we look at health education, controlling risk factors and a more comprehensive follow-up programme."

"In the next year, we’re looking into extending our primary prevention. Right now there is a lot of focus on secondary prevention, not only in PHS but in other regional health systems as well. We are really pushing for increased health education initiatives and more comprehensive ways of follow-up, such as by looking at people’s lifestyles and how they can be improved through programmes. We also have a new electronic initiative coming up! We’re working with computing students to make an app that allows us to sync and organise the data we collect. It will really help us measure our outcomes better and make our long term data collection and analysis more efficient."

"(I first joined PHS comm as) I’ve always been quite interested in public health, and really liked the experience during my first year as a supervisor. The fact that PHS is a 2 year commitment also meant that I could make improvements during my second year. I also liked how the seniors were guiding us along and saw how the PHS team was very tight. I chose to join the outreach committee then because I was very interested in primary prevention and health education, and I felt that PHS provides good platforms to collaborate with schools and organizations (to reach those goals)."

With interviews for PHS comm recruitment coming up soon, we asked Sarah for some friendly advice for those wishing to join the PHS family :) 

"Come in prepared, do a bit of reading up and know more about the public healthcare scene. We would like to hear your plans and views on what the public health sector needs, what is lacking in PHS and what more can be done, especially by tapping on the resources that we have, such as the unique points of PHS. Don't worry, be relaxed and all the best!! :)) "

Fun fact: Sarah loves to sing, and if you happen to walk past the Tembusu toilet and hear someone singing, it is probably her!