Violinist Dr Jessica Yap shares eye-opening journey into ophthalmology

Growing up, Dr Jessica Yap rose to prominence as one of the most renowned violinists of her time, drawing her bow to create the sweetest melodies in front of appreciative audiences and performing alongside some of the very best in the music industry. As she got older, Yap switched her tune to medicine, and she is now busy changing lives for the better through the practice of ophthalmology.

“Even though I started out playing violin professionally at quite a young age, for some reason, the tour life didn’t seem to be my calling card. It was never attractive to me. So I decided, in the latter part of high school, that I wanted to do medicine,” the consulting ophthalmologist told Sunday Lifestyle in a sit-down at The Liguanea Club in New Kingston.

After going to London to finish her Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) in violin, Yap entered medical school at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus, and zeroed in on her degree.

While she received a full scholarship, she chose to put that support to good use by opening a fund called the Jessica Yap Pass It On Scholarship Foundation. “We were able to help a few students with their tuition and books. One student, we took him through all of his years of medical school, and I ended up doing some concerts to raise money for the fund and help other people.”

As her workload intensified, this field of study started to show some light during her clinical years, and she was finally able to fulfil her purpose of helping patients. “That’s when I realised I really liked medicine. I knew I wanted to specialise, too, but I was uncertain about which area at first. It wasn’t until my second year of internship, as a senior house officer, that I was able to get some more exposure to ophthalmology and decided that this was it. It’s so cool,” she enthused.

Her professional journey began while working in that junior ophthalmology position for four months at Kingston Public Hospital. She went on to work in the United Kingdom, while pursuing her fellowship at the internationally recognised body, more formally known as The Royal College of Ophthalmologists. “I finished in 2023. And following that accomplishment, I funded myself to India to perform some surgeries,” she said. By ‘some’, she meant 56 surgeries in two weeks. “You literally pay to do each individual surgery. It was a very eye-opening experience. And it was also great! I was trained by some wonderfully talented people, and more importantly, I discovered that I was able to coordinate with my hands and feet.”

Although she had played the violin for many years, she wasn’t sure if she had the dexterity needed for ophthalmology surgery. She was equally concerned about the foot element, even though she was an avid tennis player. The surgical procedure requires hand, eye, and feet coordination to look through a microscope while controlling pedals with both legs and using instruments in both hands. “It’s not a skill that everybody has naturally. And with limited experience, I had no desire to be one of those people who are talentless and take 10 years to learn the procedure. I have to just jump in and develop some kind of skill initially or else it’s not going to work out for me,” Yap admitted.

From the adventure in India, Yap moved to Middlesbrough, a town in North Yorkshire, England. The industrial town was far from home and significantly colder. Its saving grace was the First World experience and working with the National Health Service (NHS), the UK’s public healthcare system. “A lot of the patients really rave about the system. Obviously, there are some who complain, but many say the NHS always comes through for them. So it was nice to see how the public system worked, and the patients were happy,” she highlighted.

From there, Yap moved to Eastbourne, south of London, known as the sunny capital of England. “Since being there, I’ve done hundreds of surgeries, mostly cataract.”

Destined for greatness, the doctor plans on taking her journey full circle by bringing the expertise that she gained overseas back to the land of wood and water. “The plan is to return home full-time in mid-June of this year. I have a few more weeks of work left,” she shared, adding that she plans on doing a little Europe sightseeing before her comeback.

So what is her hope going forward? The aim is to open her private practice in Jamaica and jump at the opportunities to work in the public system if that need arises. “The Cuban eye programme played a big part in helping with our ophthalmology load. But with those doctors gone, that leaves a gap in the sector.”

Now that she is returning home, there might be plans to also return to her first love: the violin. “The other day, I was dreaming about playing the violin again, so you never know.” She is even considering restarting the Jessica Yap Pass It On Scholarship Foundation.

But beyond career ambitions and creative pursuits, her return carries a deeper, more personal significance. Yap tied the knot with her partner, Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr, back in 2024. After the pair got married in January, Yap moved to England in May of that same year. “We have lived apart as a married couple longer than we’ve lived together. It has been rough. So coming back to Jamaica won’t only be a transition for my career. It will be a transition for life as well.”

For someone seeking to pursue their passion, Yap recommends going to the drawing board to see the best pathway towards their goal. “[Stay] determined, always work smart, not hard and never give up,” Yap said.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com