Dreams Start Here - Alumni Interview (Airi Imamura)

In the fourth of our series of alumni spotlight articles, we speak with Airi Imamura, an Imperial College London graduate and current 4^th year medical student at University College Dublin.

Airi visited NAIS Pudong just a few months ago and it was wonderful to reminisce with her as she recounted fondly her memories of school. Airi joined our school in Year 9 with very limited English, but felt that the support she received here in EAL and across the school really allowed her to develop confidence in her abilities.Despite COVID restrictions severely impacting here final year or so in school, it's clear that self-determination and support of the teaching staff helped to propel Airi onto her path into Medicine.

Good luck to Airi on the next couple of years as she works towards Medical graduation in 2027, at which point we know that she’s going to be making a literal life-changing impact on the lives of many.We can't wait to hear about the next steps of your journey Airi!

Biography – Airi Imamura (2021 Alumni)

Airi is a 4th year medical student (MB BCh BAO Medicine) at University College Dublin with an expected graduation in 2027. In 2024, she graduated with a BSc in Global Health from Imperial College London, completing a one-year intercalated degree. She spent the last five years of her secondary school life at NAIS Pudong, where she developed her interests in health equity and medicine.

2016-2021 (Year 9 to Year 13)

One of my favourite memories from my IB years was lunch breaks, where I could unwind, chat with friends and even knit. We often organised events, like when my friends and I dressed up as characters from Alice in Wonderland for World Book Day – a fun break in the middle of our busy IB schedules. Moments like these come up in conversations with my friends from NAIS, who I’m still in touch with.

The teachers supported me at every stage of my student life. Joining the school from Year 9 without being able to understand English was an intimidating experience for me, but I remember having amazing EAL classes and many teachers also offered me support outside of class hours to help me catch up with other students. They brought out the positive sides in me instead of pointing out my lack of English-speaking ability, by focusing on my daily progress and letting me participate in so many music-related extracurricular activities including the school musical production. Even after I became comfortable with English, they continued to care and offer me various opportunities that opened up my possibilities. For instance, I was not a confident public speaker, but having discussions in some CCAs/ASAs - one being the critical thinking CCA/ASA - allowed me to prepare myself for presentations and leadership roles in IB.

When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher. I loved taking care of my younger sister and other students in my kindergarten and primary school, and I found it rewarding to see them achieve something they couldn’t do before with my help. I was also drawn to humanitarian work from an early age, inspired by books about children in need around the world and stories of activists. However, at the time, I didn’t quite know how to connect that interest to a career.

While my career goals have shifted, the core interests – humanitarian work and children – have remained. I’m now working towards becoming a paediatrician.

My interest in medicine wasn’t sparked until an IGCSE Biology class at NAIS where we did heart and kidney dissections. This hands-on experience connected what I was learning to a possible career. The positive feedback on tiny achievements throughout IGCSE years helped me gain confidence, allowing me to realise that medical schools are something that I can actually aim for. The summer after Year 11 before starting IB, I spent two weeks in India for a hospital work experience, which solidified my decision to pursue medicine.

After deciding on medicine, the teachers supported me both academically and emotionally, especially during the challenges of Covid and the university application process. I could not attend school due to Covid travel restrictions, however, throughout those months, many teachers stayed in touch through calls and emails, taking time to offer individual follow-ups even after school with online classes and offering detailed feedback on my Extended Essay, Internal Assessments and university applications.

NAIS also provided specific support for medical school applications. I was part of Med Soc, where I and a few other students interested in medicine were offered opportunities to have discussions with a doctor every week about medical ethics and current events and to prepare for extra exams (like UCAT / BMAT) and interviews.

When I faced rejection from some medical schools, I was devastated and almost lost my motivation to study, only having the safety non-medicine offers. However, NAIS teachers reassured me and encouraged me to not give up and keep going. One teacher even gave up some time during her holidays to help me find other medical school options and to do interview practices for me.

I am currently a fourth-year medical student at University College Dublin. I am almost finished with pre-clinical studies and will be starting my clinical placements at hospitals across Dublin from February 2025. I recently completed a BSc in Global Health at Imperial College London, which allowed me to gain public health knowledge and to present my research at conferences and through publications. I am definitely moving closer to the aspirations I developed while at NAIS.

My aspirations are still the same, but have become more focused over the years. After graduating from medical school, I plan to pursue residency training in paediatrics. While I aim to become a clinician, my ultimate career goal is to apply medical knowledge to global health, focusing on health advocacy and leadership. I am interested in provision of access to healthcare particularly with regards to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (MNCAH). I have recently conducted research on the psychosocial support needs of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in low- and middle-income countries and wish to conduct further research in similar areas. To achieve this, I hope to pursue a Masters degree in Public Health at some point in my career and work with international NGOs such as WHO and UNICEF.

NAIS Pudong offered me a wide range of experiences inside and outside the classroom. Whether through project weeks, CCAs/ASAs, or class discussions, I was constantly encouraged to explore my interests and evaluate what fit my strengths.  I’m also grateful for the way my teachers consistently brought out my best qualities, helping me build confidence while also supporting me in overcoming my challenges.

I recommend doing as much research as possible – through online resources, talking to medical students and doctors and staying updated on medical news. And don’t hesitate to reach out to NAIS teachers. I emailed and visited their offices countless times, and I wouldn’t have gotten into medical school without their support. They know your strengths and can guide you in a way that fits your personality and needs.

For academics, stay on top of deadlines and constantly review your work. The workload for medical school applications is heavy, and the deadlines are earlier than other majors, so developing a strong work ethic during IB will help you later (not to mention how it will help you after you get into medical school too, since the workload becomes even heavier).

Finally, make sure you're truly passionate about medicine before applying. It's a big commitment physically, emotionally, and financially, and many people do drop out. Shadow doctors, do work experience and read books by real physicians to see if it aligns with your interests. Despite the challenges, I've enjoyed medical school so far, so if you're interested, go for it and good luck!