Read our students' stories that start from the CUHK and go further beyond.

The bold jump into the swimming pool was a prelude to Rachel Leung’s great leap into a future where endless opportunities await. The swimming pool used to be the sporty young woman’s second home, and the Olympics a sacred destination she hoped to reach. Rachel aspired to be a professional swimmer. But just as her athletic dream was almost within reach, she daringly forgo it and embarked on a new journey - to study medicine.

It wasn’t as if Rachel had suddenly dived into an unknown world - her interest in medicine and biology actually stemmed from swimming, a sport that required her to know the human body well. Her determination to pursue an education in medicine eventually led her to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she was enrolled in the Medicine Programme Global Physician-Leadership Stream.

Those years of swimming training have helped Rachel foster resilience and taught her to persevere in the face of adversity, and the numerous swimming competitions that constantly pushed her own limits have also helped reinforce her positive spirit. Little wonder she would not easily get bogged down by the tough Medicine Programme. With her dedication, hard work and perseverance, Rachel was awarded in 2021 the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to study Clinical Medicine and Epidemiology at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. 

Her remarkable achievements may draw immense admiration, but Rachel has kept her feet on the ground. On the medical profession, she gives it a humble definition: “The best form of relief a doctor can offer to patients is to be their companion.” She believes that while doctors are unable to cure every disease, they can be good listeners. After all, companionship makes a big difference to a patient’s physical and mental being.

So, what does it mean to be a companion? Life at CUHK has apparently provided the answer to Rachel. On campus, one thing she particularly enjoyed doing was chatting with her friends during the communal dining sessions at her college. They talked about everything and sometimes the conversation drifted to serious issues such as public health. S.H. Ho College still feels like home to Rachel. It was where she has met like-minded people, and also Professor Samuel Sun, who recognised her potential and gave her much support. During his tenure as the Master of S.H. Ho College, Professor Sun always cared deeply about his students, giving them guidance and treating them like part of his family. To Rachel, he is like a “grandpa”. It was also thanks to his encouragement that she decided to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship, a move that has brought her one step closer to her dream. 

Indeed, every bit of her CUHK experience - from the joyful moments with her peers to her mentors’ words of encouragement - was like a stepping stone which, little by little, led her towards the future she dreams of. It is the power of companionship that has shaped her into the person she is today.

Rachel is not your typical straight-A student who spends most of her time studying. She believes it takes not only theoretical knowledge but also lots of experiences in real life to become a doctor. At CUHK, she joined the Faculty of Medicine’s volunteer service team and visited Cambodia several times to help local communities improve sanitation and hygiene. It was an important experience that brought her closer to understanding how to be a better doctor. During one trip, Rachel and her partners designed a toilet that could convert feces into compost. They were proud of the contraption, believing it would significantly improve the living conditions of rural villagers. But to their surprise, the villagers demolished the toilet and sold every single piece of disassembled component. Rachel was not resentful in the slightest. She chose to reflect on the experience. “My takeaway was that in order to truly help others, we must first put ourselves in their shoes and think from their perspective. What the villagers needed most was nothing but money.” Since then, she has been determined to be a doctor who always lends her ears to patients and accompanies them on their path to recovery.

Rachel has already begun a new chapter of her life at Oxford, where she is studying Clinical Medicine with a focus on cardiovascular diseases. “Scientific research does not always have to be about something unheard of. Oftentimes, a new path is born when we combine two known facts in an innovative way.”