Aishwarya’s Pathway: Where It Begins

“I’m planning to pursue biology,” she says, measured and certain. Medicine, Aishwarya admits, has been a constant. “When I was six, my mum asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I said, ‘a doctor’. Since then… I’ve just stayed with it.” For Aishwarya, the offer to study Biology at Suffolk University is less a destination and more a doorway.

There is something striking about that kind of early clarity.

Her arrival at Bangkok Patana in January 2021 came at a moment when the world itself felt uncertain. A move from Singapore, followed by sixteen days in lockdown, set an unusual tone for a new beginning. “It was a bit overwhelming,” she recalls, “I was the only new student, and everyone was coming to talk to me at once.” Naturally introverted, she describes those first weeks with honesty: “I’m a very shy person… settling down was difficult.”

And yet, as with much of her story, adaptation came steadily. “Afterwards, I met a lot of friends,” she says, “It just got better.” Beneath the quiet exterior is resilience – a willingness to step into discomfort, and then grow within it.

Academically, the transition required recalibration. Moving from Singapore’s system into IGCSE introduced both structural differences and a sharper academic rhythm. “It was a big jump,” she explains, “I used to procrastinate a lot before,” she admits, “But in IGCSE and IB, I changed that. As soon as I get the work, I do it immediately. That way I can keep up.”

At IGCSE, her subject choices – Computer Science, History, Geography, alongside Mandarin – reflected breadth. But it is in the IB that her interests crystallised. HL Biology, HL Geography, HL English Language and Literature, alongside SL Chemistry, Mandarin, and Maths, form a curriculum both rigorous and intentional. Biology, in particular, resonates deeply. “It’s my favourite subject,” she says simply, “I really like learning all the different topics… it’s exciting.”

That excitement has been tested in practice. Dissections – often seen as a defining moment for aspiring medical students – became a point of self-discovery. “I didn’t have much experience before,” she explains, “so it helped me realise if I could actually do this.”

Her curiosity extends beyond the classroom. Two medical internships offered early glimpses into the profession she has long envisioned. At MedPark Hospital, she attended lectures from doctors tracing their own pathways – the challenges, the realities, the unseen demands. “It gave me an idea of what to expect,” she reflects, “not just the jobs, but the journey to get there.” A second experience at Ramathibodi Hospital shifted perspective again – this time into the detail of daily work. “I was packing medicine,” she says, smiling, “I didn’t expect it to be that difficult.” What stayed with her most, however, was not the challenge, but the insight: medicine is as much about systems and quiet precision as it is about patient care.

If her academic life is structured, her co-curricular experiences reveal moments of emotional clarity. As Vice President of the World Food Programme (WFP) club at Bangkok Patana, Aishwarya engaged directly with communities beyond the school gates. The annual food drive in Khlong Toei remains particularly vivid. “The first time I went there, I actually cried,” she shares, “seeing people who rely on the food we give them… it was very eye-opening.” There is no dramatics in her reflection, only sincerity. “They are so grateful, that’s what stays with you.”

It is perhaps here that her pathway feels most aligned—Biology and Medicine not as abstraction, but as response.

And yet, the softer transformations are equally significant. In Year 10, stepping onto the stage in Bugsy Malone, she chose discomfort again – this time creatively. “I was too scared to join plays before,” she admits. “So I wanted to try something new.” Even as part of the chorus, the experience mattered. “Just being on stage… dancing… it was something I don’t normally do. But it was really fun.”

Similarly, participating in World Scholar’s Cup introduced her to debate – a world far removed from her comfort zone. “The second round was terrifying,” she recalls with a laugh, “they were so experienced… just staring at us.” But she stayed and tried.

Language, too, is a thread woven early into her identity. Mandarin, first learned during a year in China, carried through Singapore and into IB. “My mum said, ‘why not continue?’” she explains. Now, what began as practicality has become an asset—quietly expanding the worlds she can move through.

As she prepares to leave, her reflections are understated but telling. “I’ll miss my friends, the teachers… they’re really supportive”, and of course, “Senior studies – a space to just sit and focus.”

Looking ahead, the vision returns to where it began. Biology in Boston. Medicine beyond that. Perhaps paediatrics—“I really like taking care of kids,” she adds.

The path is open, but the intention is clear.

All the very best Aishwarya!