By Ms Belinda Wan, CGH
For Adj Assoc Prof Tan Lay Ling, Senior Consultant, Department of Psychological Medicine, teaching was always a part of her calling as a doctor.
An Associate Dean and the Undergraduate Medical Education Director at CGH, Adj Assoc Prof Tan has been instrumental in establishing teaching frameworks and creating a supportive environment that nurtures both faculty and students.
To her, education lies at the core of what it means to be a doctor. “The word ‘doctor’ is derived from the Latin word docere, meaning ‘to teach’ — whether it involves our professional colleagues or our patients and their family caregivers,” she muses.
She was conferred the Outstanding Educator Award at the Academic Medicine Education Institute (AMEI) Golden Apple Awards 2024 for her dedication and commitment to excellence in educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Being an educator did not come naturally for Adj Assoc Prof Tan, who felt confused about her professional identity as a clinician, clinical researcher and medical teacher early in her career.
“There were definitely times when I wondered if I had supported the medical residents and my faculty adequately and to the best of my ability,” she reflects.
The turning point came when she became the Associate Programme Director for the National Psychiatry Residency Programme at CGH. With the support of the hospital leadership, she concurrently pursued formal training in Health Profession Education. The opportunity saw her grow and develop as an educator, as she married her knowledge and skills, and took on leadership roles with guidance from her mentor and peers.
Now a passionate mentor in her own right, Adj Assoc Prof Tan is dedicated to supporting young clinicians.
Senior Medical Social Worker Joyce Leong, who has been Adj Assoc Prof Tan’s mentee for the past two years, says her mentor’s courage and vulnerability has deeply inspired her. “She always makes time and is generous with her own learning, knowledge, expertise and experiences,” says Ms Leong. “I’ve gleaned a lot from her as a person, her values and heart. I always leave feeling inspired, challenged and synergised after spending time with her.”
Known for her creative educational approaches, Adj Assoc Prof Tan’s teaching philosophy focuses on reflective practice — a process of drawing lessons from everyday encounters while being aware of one’s own values, knowledge and emotions. She attributes this to her training as a psychiatrist and interest in psychodynamic work.
One initiative that was spearheaded by Adj Assoc Prof Tan is the Psychodynamic Observation and Emotional Mapping (POEM) group. Aimed at fostering resilience, critical thinking and professional growth, the group forms a safe space for multidisciplinary healthcare professionals to process difficult feelings that arise as they deliver patient-centred care.
As an educator, Adj Assoc Prof Tan believes it is important to be authentic in the content she conveys, and the most rewarding part of teaching is the human connection and seeing her students’ eyes light up with understanding. “Lifelong learning is paramount, but so is being learner-centred so that you can pace your teaching based on learners’ readiness for further scaffolding of knowledge,” she emphasises.
In the spirit of imparting knowledge, she encourages her mentees to co-facilitate workshops and present research findings at various international conferences.
Adj Assoc Prof Tan credits her Outstanding Educator win to the unwavering support of her family, colleagues and the hospital. “This award honours those around me for providing me with the space and unwavering encouragement and support to pursue my interest and passion in medical education,” she says. “Juggling clinical responsibilities and teaching is not easy, but it must be done well to ensure that our future generations of healthcare workers are well-trained.”
Adj Assoc Prof Tan (in foreground) engaging with residents at a conference presentation.
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