Carlton’s commitment to service began in secondary school, where he led the Interact Club and initiated projects supporting older people living with dementia and residents of subdivided flats. These encounters nurtured his empathy and strengthened his determination to connect meaningfully with people from diverse backgrounds.

Carrying this commitment forward, Carlton serves with Medical Outreachers Hong Kong, a student-led non-profit organisation. Working with his team, he has supported medical service trips to underserved communities in Guangdong, Sichuan, Ratanakiri in Cambodia and Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Through educational programmes and health screenings, he seeks to promote health literacy and well-being. These experiences affirmed his belief that sustained community outreach can equip people with practical knowledge for self-care, while drawing attention to gaps in access to quality healthcare.

Carlton is also developing his academic expertise beyond the classroom through research on autism spectrum disorder and gut microbiota. His work has built his capabilities in psychiatric clinical attachment, cognitive assessment, data analysis, research methodology and literature review, while encouraging him to consider how research can inform clinical practice and contribute to better healthcare.

Carlton sees The D. H. Chen Foundation Scholarship Programme as a space to integrate his interests in medicine, research and community outreach. Through cross-disciplinary learning and mentorship, he hopes to grow into a compassionate physician and reflective community leader who connects medical knowledge with the needs of people and communities, contributing to a more equitable and accessible healthcare.