Student Spotlight: Jeffrey Ng
By: Norah McDonnell, ENG '22
Jeffrey Ng, of Houston, Texas, is the President-Elect of the Student Government Association at TUSPM. The new position requires facilitating and being a voice for the 24 clubs at TUSPM, so that everybody can accomplish their goals and succeed. Jeffrey is involved in the Forensic Podiatry Club and the Christian Podiatric Student Association (CPSA), American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), and American Society of Podiatric Surgeons (ASPS). Besides being a student leader, Jeffrey also wants to maintain and upkeep his skills in becoming a podiatrist.
Jeffrey completed his Undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University with degrees in Forensic and Investigative Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, and a minor in the Russian language. He was then commissioned as an Officer in the United States Air Force, serving the National Defense Sector for roughly four years. Jeffrey then moved to Philadelphia in August 2018 and started his education at TUSPM. Jeffrey chose podiatry because he wants to primarily serve the elderly community. From experiences with his late grandmother, who suffered with chronic arthritis, Jeffrey understands how foot care can lead to secondary problems, such as quality of life. Knowing this, he wants to contribute more to the elderly community to improve foot care and quality of life.
He is finishing his first year at TUSPM and fully understanding the basis of science. The knowledge learned so far will allow Jeffrey to apply itfor clinical sciences. In particular, Jeffrey appreciates the diversity of the student body. He says “People have different motivations and drives. Knowing the differences between life stages made me feel fascinated. Despite differences in background, we all have the same goal in being a podiatrist and serving the community for good.”
Jeffrey tries to make himself a whole person. He doesn’t just want to be a student; he reaches out locally to the community. For example, he is now involved with a community band in Philadelphia where he plays the clarinet and is the section leader. Besides academic, Jeffrey is serving the Student Government as the President-Elect. He wants to facilitate the student activities and ensure that the clubs on campus can accomplish their goals to make the experience at TUSPM meaningful.
Jeffrey says that academic performance is surely important, but school performance is not the only thing that he focuses on. It is important to be involved in school, clubs, and the community for a reason. Lots of people know that as students, the academic performance should be in the highest regard, meaning high grades and strong bonds of friendship. However, focusing on school so much can eat away at the person you truly are. When asked to give advice to younger or prospective students, Jeffrey says to not only focus on school, but also learn how to be a person. It’s simple, but also complicated. Find your true passion; don’t let academics change you to become a different person.
There are many challenges associated with podiatry school and with his new position as the President-Elect of the Student Government Association. It is important to know how to do your job in a neutral aspect. Jeffrey says that he likes to meet new people and make friends, and knowing that there are friends that care about certain clubs is great, but he also has to make sure that all clubs and members are treated equally and the way they are supposed to be, without bias or human factors. Other challenges include prioritizing and making recommendations for fundraising and allocations, which is difficult because this aspect of the job is subjective. Jeffrey wants to find people with different perspectives to maintain an unbiased atmosphere.
Interpersonal skills and framing are important in overcoming the challenges so that the perception does not deviate from the goal. Jeffrey also is going to reach out to people in person instead of completely relying on electronic communication. Electronic communications often change the perception of the conversation. Since there are so many clubs and leaders to speak with, it is important to use personal communication to completely understand.
The rewards of this new position are helping the clubs to succeed. Facilitating the workshop efforts, helping in marathons, and hosting an annual spring ligament formal. This is an opportunity to bring students together and celebrate what everyone has accomplished. The experience of management is also a reward. Jeffrey will learn better organizational skills and teach future generations along the way.
Jeffrey does not know where his true passion is in podiatry yet, as he is still learning and reading books until he gets into the clinical setting. Right now, he is looking into geriatrics and reconstructive surgery, but will not truly know his passions until he is active in the clinic.
Jeffrey is looking forward to being able to give back to the community and teach the younger generation to move the field in generations forward on what it means to be a podiatrist, not only as a surgeon or physician, but as a mentor to educate the public, which could include potential teaching as a professor or administration to facilitate the field. Personal goals include staying on top of academics, and to be humble and approachable. Jeffrey cares about the student body and wants to create the image that he does care about the students’ wellbeing.