Role Model Series: Zheng CW — A Steady Hand on the Long Medical Road

It is reported that the Medical College of Shantou University has launched its “Role Models” series to showcase outstanding students. This edition features Zheng CW, a 2021 Clinical Medicine undergraduate, whose guiding belief is: “With a clear direction in heart, no road is too long.”

Building a Solid Foundation

Anatomy was the first specialized course Zheng CW encountered and the one that influenced him most. To memorize every nerve and blood vessel pathway, he approached every specimen identification class with diligence, repeatedly cross-referencing specimens with anatomical atlases. With this solid grounding, he won second prize in the Anatomy Track at two consecutive National Collegiate Medical Morphology and Specimen Identification Competitions.

Academically, Zheng CW earned the Medical College First-Class Outstanding Student Award for three consecutive years, along with the National Scholarship for Undergraduates, the Dr. Liang Zhaohan Scholarship, and the Dr. Mary Hawn Scholarship.

Discovering the Human Side of Medicine

Beyond coursework, Zheng CW gradually came to understand the responsibilities of a physician through various activities. He rose from committee member to deputy director in the Youth League’s publicity department, participated in poster design and social media content creation, and joined a hospice volunteer team to accompany terminally ill cancer patients — an experience that taught him medicine requires human warmth. As a peer mentor, he tutored junior students, deepening his own understanding in the process.

During his clinical internship at Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Zheng CW rotated through internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, ICU, and community medicine. Though long hours sometimes meant missed meals, the smiles of recovering patients made the fatigue worthwhile.

Continuing the Journey

Over five years at the Medical College, Zheng CW grew from a research novice to a student capable of independently performing protein electrophoresis and PCR. In his final year, he secured graduate admission to his preferred specialty under his ideal supervisor.

As graduation approaches, Zheng CW plans to carry forward everything he has learned, striving to become a grounded, dedicated, and compassionate physician who lives up to both his alma mater and the trust of every patient.

Source: STU Medical College WeChat Official Account