Interview with Raja Ismahan Syahanee, KTJ Alumni (1993-1995)

Which year did you join KTJ? 

1993 (I joined the A-level class as a Petronas Scholar).

When did you graduate from KTJ? 

1995

Which house were you in? 

I was initially in the single girls’ house (I can’t remember the name), but I moved to Irinah when the two girls' houses were built.

What do you remember most about KTJ?

There was a lively student population (a mixture of local and international students), facilities were great (I took water skiing in the afterschool sports!), teachers were enthusiastic (shoutout to Mr Simon Lai and Puan Sabrina!), and I made some good lifelong friends. Food was AMAZING in those days! The chicken Kiev…….Yummmm……

Tell us about your educational journey after KTJ.

1995-1998:  I went to St Andrew’s University, Scotland, for my BSc in Medical Science.

1998-2001:   I joined the 3rd year of clinical studies at Manchester University and completed my MbChB (medical degree).  

I then did my speciality training in paediatrics in the NorthWest England. I completed my training in 2014.

If you could go back & do your high school experience all over again, what would you change and why?  

I suppose with hindsight and maturity, I would think about going back and studying harder. Still, I did manage to get into medical school and complete my degree at the appropriate time, so I don’t think I would change anything. I had so much fun during my years at KTJ. In particular, I enjoyed the sports and social aspects. I made some very good friends with whom I still keep in contact.

What do you do now?

I have been a paediatric consultant in Emergency Medicine at Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester for the last 10 years (since 2014). We are a large trauma centre in the Northwest of England. When on duty, I lead the paediatric team in our A&E in the assessment and management of sick or injured children. I’m also involved in medical student supervision and junior doctor training. 

Outside of the hospital, I have been involved in humanitarian work in refugee camps in Lebanon and, recently, Egypt.

What did you learn that is most applicable to your current position?

I had never been away from home until I went to KTJ. I think my years there taught me independence, time management, and maintaining calm and resilience, both of which are crucial when working in highly busy, stressful situations in my dad's day job.

Who should we feature next?  

Without a doubt, my best friend in college (and still a very good friend now!) Munirah Khairuddin (Monique).