A steady hand in care and leadership

Published on 14 October 2025

Ms Beryl Wong has spent two decades advancing the field of physiotherapy for patients and colleagues alike.

A few years ago, a young woman who was involved in a road accident found herself suffering from a series of debilitating symptoms, including persistent headaches, dizziness, eye strain, and a sharp intolerance to light and sound.

Frustrated and exhausted, she found it hard to connect with the physiotherapy team treating her. “She felt nobody really understood what she was going through,” recalled Ms Beryl Wong, Senior Principal Physiotherapist and Physiotherapy Lead, Alexandra Hospital (AH).

However, the team persevered even when progress seemed slow. And when Ms Wong joined the case, she helped reinforce the trust her colleagues had been working hard to establish. “It wasn’t about me alone,” she said. “It was about helping her see that the whole team knew what they were doing, and that she could trust us to support her.”

Gradually, after a year of therapy in which the team combined physical treatment with emotional support, the patient regained her confidence, and eventually was even able to go cycling – a passion she feared she would never enjoy again.

For Ms Wong, the case was a reminder of what persistence and teamwork mean in rehabilitation. “Some patients live with symptoms far longer than expected, and what they need is a team that walks the journey with them,” she reflected. “Our role is not just about prescribing exercises, but empowering patients to take back control of their recovery.”

Leading by example

Stories like these reveal why Ms Wong has stayed passionate about physiotherapy for two decades. But her career is also marked by the challenges she has taken on outside the clinic.

In 2018, when AH came under the National University Health System (NUHS), she was asked to set up its physiotherapy services from scratch. “I wasn’t really into management or administration,” the 43-year-old admitted with a laugh. “My passion has always been clinical work. But suddenly, I had to figure out budgeting, administration and service development, all while leading a team.”

Starting with just two wards on the Alexandra campus, her team’s remit soon expanded across the entire hospital. “It was a steep learning curve,” she said. “But I realised how important culture is when you’re starting something new. Teamwork and positivity were the values that held us together. Without them, we wouldn’t have managed.”

For Ms Wong, physiotherapy has always been about people, not just processes. “We can’t work in silos. In physiotherapy, we need to be able to step in and support one another across disciplines,” she said. Just as important was maintaining a positive environment. “If there are grievances, I always tell my team to bring them up openly and deal with them as adults. That way, we avoid politics and keep the focus on what matters – patient care.”

These values earned her the Excellence Award at the recent NUHS Allied Health & Pharmacy Awards. The award recognised her significant contributions to clinical care, research and education, alongside her role in mentoring and empowering others.

A career of many hats

Since qualifying as a physiotherapist in 2005, Ms Wong has worn many hats. She has been a healthcare professional, a manager and an educator, and has made an impact in each role.

As a clinical educator and coordinator, she has mentored countless young physiotherapists, shaping the next generation of the profession.

Her impact extended overseas too, through a multi-year project in Yunnan, China, where she trained local physiotherapists in stroke and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. “It was eye-opening to see physiotherapy outside Singapore,” she said. “Teaching in Mandarin was a challenge, but it pushed me as an educator and showed me how much our skills can contribute globally.”

She has also contributed at a national level through roles on the Ministry of Health’s physiotherapy panel and the Community Rehabilitation Transformation Workgroup, helping shape care standards across Singapore.

Adapting to a changing profession

Two decades on, Ms Wong has witnessed physiotherapy evolve. The fundamentals of assessment and treatment remain crucial, but technology and job redesign are changing the way care is delivered. “Artificial intelligence has made our work easier in many ways,” she said. “We no longer have to start from scratch with guidelines, and we can focus more on patient care.”

Therapy assistants now play a bigger role, with redesigned scopes giving them greater autonomy. Physiotherapists too are expanding into triage roles in emergency departments, or moving into education, research and management. “What matters is that physiotherapists don’t stay confined to just one track,” Ms Wong said. “There are many ways to grow, and we should support people in whichever direction they want to take.”

What keeps her going is simple: A love for the profession, belief in her team and the desire to make a difference. “I still wake up every day passionate about what I do. And I want to show my daughters that having a career as a woman matters – that you can contribute to society while doing something you love.”

Her journey – from clinician to educator, reluctant manager to department builder – mirrors the qualities NUHS hopes to foster in the Healthcare Workforce of the Future: resilient, adaptable, collaborative and always ready to embrace change. “I still wake up every day passionate about what I do,” she said. “There are always new things to learn, and new ways to make a difference.”

The NUHS Allied Health & Pharmacy Awards celebrate individuals who have made outstanding contributions to patient care, education, research and professional practice across NUHS.

Click here to find out more about the various Allied Health Professionals.