Doctor - a zigzag journey

Part 25 - Turning Point (continued)

Background: 2000 (Age 33 years)

An evening, a special evening, I would say, when I opened my mailbox, I found a letter from the International Medical University (IMU) notifying me to attend a selection interview for enrollment into a medical course. This moment was the beginning of the end of my dejected mood after being declined an opportunity to apply to study medicine in Singapore because I was 33. This opportunity could be the key to the door to study medicine. I must convince the interviewers that I was capable to study and had the determination to persevere throughout my study and would contribute to the medical profession in the future.

After reading the letter, I rang and informed Ah Ma and my siblings.

"Ma, I will attend a selection interview to study medicine in Kuala Lumpur," I announced happily.

"I know you like to become a doctor since you were a kid, ask your eldest brother who lives in KL to take you to the interview," Ah Ma replied in a supportive voice.

I knew there were worries deep in her heart. Her love was unconditional and limitless. She had confidence in me.

I had mixed responses from my siblings which came to me over the coming days while I was gearing up for the interview. A letter from my eldest brother read "Mom is 72 years old, she is worried about you, we too. You are now pretty successful in your career as an engineer. Leaving this career and embarking on a new challenge is a journey that is full of uncertainties. Some people do well in medicine, some don't. I hope you consider it properly."

His advice was appreciated. A hint of staying put was implied. My heart sank a bit.

I rang my eldest sister and discussed the letter and my situation at length. It was a long phone conversation. We also discussed a few relatives who were not supportive of my plan to study medicine. Their unsupportive remarks hurt me at times. But what remained in my memory were the following:

"Sis, what do you think?" I asked with an intention to get morale support.

"Go with your ambition," my eldest sister replied.

I knew that they would not have the financial capability to help me. What I wanted was morale support, at least. The phone was hung up. My morale was boosted.

My second brother and my second sister-in-law voiced their support: "You go ahead and we will find out the way to help you."

*****

The Interview Day.

Dressed in a white long sleeve shirt with a dark blue tie and a black pant, I organized my degrees and transcripts in a folder.

"Ready to go?" my eldest brother asked.

"Yes."

He chauffeured me. The weather was warm. The air-conditioner in the car was turned to its maximum. Yet, I felt a burning sensation in my chest. Was the tie fastened too tight? The adrenaline rush was more likely the cause.

Faced with a panel of interviewers, I sat upright with my hands on my thighs, trying my very best to remain composed.

"We have read your essay about why you want to study medicine," an interviewer broke the silence, "and you have scored 7 'A's in your recent master degree in biostatistics. Have you considered pursuing a Ph.D. instead?"

"My excellent result in the master degree has reignited my strong desire to pursue my ambition to become a medical doctor, and it has given me confidence that I am capable of learning and doing well. A Ph.D. may be in the future as there is no stringent restriction on the age limit, but studying medicine can be restricted by certain age limit," I explained.

He seemed to agree with the explanation.

"Tell me something that shows your interest in health-related issues that happen around you or in the world recently," the interviewer moved on to his question.

"Legionella outbreak," I elaborated the outbreak, "the investigations traced the source of Legionnaire's disease to the cooling tower."

The interview went on. He asked several other questions related to medicine.

The interviewers emphasized that the first part of the 2.5 years medical science program was regulated by a board of academics from more than 20 well-established medical schools around the world. Getting into the first part of the program did not guarantee that I would be accepted into the second part of the clinical course. My performance in the first part of the medical course would determine whether I would be qualified to pursue the clinical course locally or abroad in order to complete the entire medical degree in medicine and surgery (MBBS), and it would determine my future.

Finally, another interviewer asked the final two questions.

"How ready are you to study medicine?" she asked with a curiosity.

"My determination and capability to study as reflected in my recent excellent results in the master degree in biostatistics are the best testimonies," I reaffirmed.

"Financially?" she finished off her last question.

"I have my savings which will get me through the first 2.5 years," I explained, "and I plan to work casual jobs to save up for the second part of the course."

My determination was reflected on my face. The interviewers noticed it, I believed.

"OK, we will notify you once we have made a decision," she finished off her line which she had said it more than a hundred times by the look at the number of applicants.

I thanked them, shook their hands, stood up and left with a feeling that the glass was half full.