“My name is Erick Ary Tjawanta, usually called Erick. I am a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of North Sumatra (USU). I enrolled at USU in 2009 and graduated in 2015. Previously, I was an alumnus and recipient of the Karya Salemba Empat Foundation scholarship from 2010 until graduation.”
Prioritising the safety of the public in their humanitarian work, doctors and medical teams are angels without wings for the community. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic a few years ago, these frontline workers were required to exert their energy, patience and even risk their lives to help the sick.
“The reason I chose this profession is because it has always been my dream. I feel that being a doctor is a noble profession because I can help others while earning an income,” said Erick when asked why he chose to become a doctor.
“The duties of a doctor are not limited to providing services inside the hospital, but also outside. We strive to be five-star doctors, applying all the knowledge we have gained from the West to the East.”
Never Give Up
The youngest of four siblings, his motto is “never give up,” which motivated him to be top of his class from primary school through to secondary school. Erick’s struggles at university were not as smooth as one might imagine. “My living expenses during university were supported by my older brother because my father and mother had passed away. I also couldn’t ask for too much because my older brother was already married and he also had to support his own family,” he said.
Given these circumstances, he began looking for scholarships and additional sources of income. “I used to work as a private tutor and sell goods to my friends,” he said.
Finally, Erick received the PPA Scholarship and then obtained the KSE Scholarship, which allowed him to breathe a little easier regarding his studies and campus organisations. He also began to reduce his search for additional income so that he could focus on his achievements and personal development.
During his studies, he actively participated in various organisational and social activities on campus (TBM, SCORE, PEMA, Social Service), was a finalist in the USU Faculty of Medicine’s Outstanding Student Awards for two consecutive years, won the USU Faculty of Medicine’s LKTI competition, and achieved many other accomplishments.
Nationalism is formed from scholarships
In 2010, the KSE Scholarship began to expand its reach to the University of North Sumatra (USU). Initially, Dr Erick and his friends admitted that they had never heard of this scholarship because there had been no publicity about it. However, after going through a long and challenging process, the first cohort of KSE Scholarship recipients from USU was finally selected.
At first, Erick did not fully understand how this scholarship worked. “We all thought that the KSE scholarship was just a transfer of money like any other scholarship,” he assumed. However, as time went by, within a few months he began to realise how many benefits the KSE scholarship offered. Erick and the other scholarship recipients not only received financial support, but also gained a lot of insight from participating in training, were able to develop themselves, and enjoyed various other opportunities that made this scholarship special. During his time receiving the KSE scholarship, Erick gained valuable non-academic education.
Even after becoming alumni, we still have the opportunity to hone our knowledge through various learning media available, ensuring that the process of learning and self-development never stops.
Not only that, Erick also serves as a teacher and even Headmaster at the USU KSE Learning House Programme, known as “KABEL” (Kampung Belajar or Learning Village).
Studying at university alone was not enough for Erick. While receiving the KSE scholarship, he participated in various training programmes that enriched his knowledge.
Erick also participated in a series of training courses from Indofood Leadership Camp II, III, and IV, which provided him with in-depth insights into leadership in the business world. Not to be left behind, he was active in the Upgrading Team KSE USU, which further strengthened his skills and teamwork spirit.
Love for Indonesia
Everything Erick gained while receiving the KSE Scholarship provided a strong foundation for his learning, both academically and non-academically. This scholarship not only provided financial support, but also tremendous peace of mind and confidence. Erick feels fortunate to have been able to develop himself through the various programmes and training offered by KSE.
After graduating, Erick was determined to contribute further. He wanted to go directly to various regions in Indonesia, help the community and participate in the development of this country.
As an alumnus, Dr. Erick remains active in the KSE Alumni Association. One of the important roles he has held is as Regional Head of the KSE Alumni Association.
In addition, he was also involved in various training programmes and activities organised for alumni. One programme that was particularly meaningful to him was the Training for Trainers programme held by KSE.
Contribution to Eastern Indonesia
“I want to contribute by going to regions in Indonesia to help the Indonesian people so that I can help achieve my dream.
After graduating in 2015, Erick continued his professional journey by participating in an internship programme in North Tapanuli for one year. This experience lasted until the end of 2016, providing Erick with valuable insights and practical skills. After completing his internship, he took the plunge and enrolled in the Pencerah Nusantara programme, an initiative from CISDI (Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives). Armed with the knowledge he had acquired, Erick wanted to express his gratitude for the KSE scholarship by applying his knowledge and skills in the community, hoping to make a real and positive contribution to them.
After going through a long selection process, he finally got the opportunity to realise his dream in Seget District, West Papua, for one year. This experience gave Erick invaluable life lessons that he never got while working in the big city.
During his year there, Erick realised that Papua was not as bad as it was often portrayed in the media. The people were very kind and friendly towards us. The Seget Community Health Centre was the only medical facility where people from the entire district or sub-district could go to receive health services and treatment. In terms of health, especially the Community Health Centre, it was actually quite good.
“There was a time when the community health centre was only open for one hour. The community there already knew the types of medicines available, and they were also familiar with certain diseases. So we educated them again, to improve supply, demand and environmental factors,” he said.
“Even though I am the only doctor at the Seget Community Health Centre, we do not forget to continue doing our utmost to serve the people of Seget village, both inside and outside the building.”
From May 2017 to April 2018, Dr Erick had the opportunity to participate in the Pencerah Nusantara programme. During this period, Dr Erick was entrusted to represent the community health centre in a comparative study to the community health centre in Manado, North Sulawesi.
“After completing my mission as a Nusantara Enlightenment Doctor, I then had the opportunity to assist the Ministry of Health in preparing the participants of the Nusantara Sehat Team in Ciloto,” added Erick.
From April to September 2018, I had the opportunity to serve as camp manager for the Nusantara Sehat training programme organised by the Ciloto Health Training Centre (BBPK) under the auspices of the Indonesian Ministry of Health. This experience was a valuable contribution to efforts to improve the health of communities in disadvantaged areas.
From September 2018 to January 2019, I participated in the selection process and was chosen to become a Nusantara Sehat Individu at the Randomayang Community Health Centre in North Mamuju, West Sulawesi. During my time there, I also participated in the selection process for the Ministry of Health’s Civil Service Candidate (CPNS) programme and was declared successful. As both programmes fall under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, I was permitted to resign from Nusantara Sehat (which had a two-year contract).
From 2019 to 2020, I was actively involved as a volunteer in two inspiring organisations. First, I joined Kelas Inspirasi, where I had the opportunity to share my experiences and inspire primary school students. Second, I was involved in the Ruang Berbagi Ilmu team in Bali, a community focused on the dissemination of knowledge and education.
This experience opened my eyes to the importance of education and encouraged me to continue contributing to the advancement of the younger generation.
The philosophy behind the KSE Scholarship When Erick was studying at USU, he participated in leadership training and social activities at Paguyuban, and was inspired by Dr Lie Dharmawan to become an agent of change in the field of health in Indonesia.
Frontline Wing: Covid-19
In addition, Erick heard about the opening of civil service recruitment in 2018 and he tried to follow the process transparently. Something unexpected happened. Erick was declared to have passed and became a government official assisting the Ministry of Health. Starting in 2019, he became a civil servant at the Ministry of Health at Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar. During his time as a civil servant, Erick endeavoured to apply all the knowledge he had gained at the hospital.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, Dr Erick found himself on the front line of the fight, working in the Emergency Unit at a hospital in Denpasar.
Initially, his heart was often filled with anxiety. Inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was a major source of concern, especially as more and more colleagues fell ill after being exposed to the virus while on duty.
His love for his profession as a doctor, as well as his commitment to helping the community, fueled him to remain steadfast in the midst of the storm.
Every day in the emergency room is a test of physical and mental endurance. Erick has to deal with patients who are having difficulty breathing, their faces etched with panic, searching for hope in the eyes of the doctors they meet. Behind his mask and PPE, Erick remains calm, even though his heart is racing.
Although every step in the hospital is a big challenge, Erick feels that this is his calling in life. In the darkest moments, he always remembers the message he once wrote: that every good deed will bring humans to a higher level of life.
“Perhaps because they are more afraid of going to hospitals that treat Covid-19,”he thought at Sanglah General Hospital, Denpasar, where Erick works. According to him, the decrease in hospital patients is thanks to social media and online news portals.
His duties as an emergency room doctor were also aided by social distancing measures. This was mainly due to a decrease in traffic accidents as the number of road users declined.
With only two doctors on duty in the emergency room, Erick was certainly overwhelmed. This was because every resident returning from Java was immediately considered a suspect and had to be examined. “Almost 90% of cases were transmitted from outside the region, mostly from foreign nationals and Indonesian citizens from Jakarta and Yogyakarta, etc.,” said Erick .
At that time, Erick and his colleagues in the emergency room were also assisted by a 24-hour command post specifically for examining Covid-19 patients. Because they were in direct contact with positive patients, the medical personnel at the command post were provided with complete, hospital-standard PPE. However, if patients were experiencing shortness of breath and difficulty walking, they were still directed to the emergency room first. Erick was grateful that more PPE was starting to arrive. Over the course of two years, Erick and his colleagues battled both physical and mental exhaustion. Masks and protective gear became an inseparable part of their bodies, while the sound of ventilators served as a constant backdrop to their every step.
On a quiet night, when the sky above Denpasar was dotted with stars, Erick sat alone on the balcony of his house. The cool night breeze caressed his face, while his mind wandered. Finally, the decision came clearly to his mind. Erick knew that in order to give his best to his patients, he had to continue his education.
With determination, Erick began planning his next steps. He knew that the path to specialist education would not be easy, but he was confident that this was the right move.
And in the middle of that night, with the stars as his witnesses, Erick promised himself that he would continue to learn and strive. For himself, for his patients, and for a better future.
Specialist Education
After going through a series of processes and selections, I was accepted into the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Study Programme at the University of Indonesia in 2022. The knowledge I gained throughout my schooling, university studies, and time spent in the region has enabled me to achieve my dream of continuing my education. I am confident that every good deed we perform will be rewarded many times over by God.
Doctor’s Career
That night, in a corner of a study room at the University of Indonesia, Dr. Erick was busy flipping through the pages of a thick medical book. His tired eyes remained enthusiastic, reflecting his unwavering determination. In the stillness of the night, only the soft hum of a fan and the gentle sound of his breathing accompanied his solitude. Dr. Erick was pursuing his specialisation in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Erick has always believed that every good deed, no matter how small, will have a big impact on himself and others. He has carried this message with him since his college days, when he first received the Karya Salemba Empat (KSE) scholarship. This scholarship not only opened doors for him to continue his education, but also instilled in him the belief that sincere kindness will always be rewarded with kindness in return.
Every evening, after returning home from the hospital where he was undergoing his specialisation programme, Dr. Erick took the time to write reflective notes about his days. In one of his notes, he wrote:
“Life is a long journey full of challenges and lessons. With every step, I learn that good deeds are a lasting investment. Every smile I give to a patient, every moment I spend listening to their complaints, is a form of love and dedication that will lead me to become a better person.”
“To my fellow KSE scholarship recipients and alumni, I would like to share this message: Be confident that every good deed we do will lead us to a higher level of life.& nbsp;Continue to do good, wholeheartedly, and see how the world responds in unexpected ways.
The night grew late, and Dr. Erick closed his book with a small smile. He knew that the journey was still long, but every step he took, every good deed he did, was a light that illuminated his path. In the midst of the glitz and glamour of the capital city of Jakarta, he remained true to his principles, treading the path towards greater ideals and goodness.