I am interested in the medical area
 

Hi, I have an Engineering diploma some donkey years ago from local Poly but after graduated from Poly, went to work in the legal industry as an ordinary 9-5 hr office staff. Recently, after seeing so many relatives down with old-age illness, I became interested about health and toying with the idea of becoming a medical doctor. I am in my 40s and have no degree whatsoever. I literally have forgotten what I studied in Physics and Chemistry and have never studied Biology before. I have no interests in Banking, Accounting, Business or Engineering degrees so doing those subjects part-time just to get a degree is out of the qn for me. Anyway I can get started studying medicine ? Feel free to criticize me so that I know whether I am just day-dreaming for the impossible or not. Or I should just get real and get a business degree instead.

Have you tried?

How much money do you have?

Local U medicine courses are very elitist and they have a very narrow set of profiles that they prefer. Their most unconventional candidate topped his cohort and did a related poly course. (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapo...o-nus-medicine)

It's probably impossible for you but no local media will tell you that because every school is a good school.

Going overseas is a common option:
- Australia
- UK
- Ireland

An MBBS takes about 5 years. Can you afford the school fees and living expenses?

There are other jobs in healthcare that doesn't involve being a doctor.

Haha, thanks ! As mentioned, I am toying with the idea. Given that I have a family to support as well so may just be a day dream not fulfilled. But that is an inspiring read nonetheless.

1. Local Uni definitely no chance given your age and profile

2. Overseas. Very very Low chance esp given your non relevant diploma.

3. Overseas mbbs will cost you abt 500k. If you got half a mil at your age , you might be better off investing it in the stock market or something.

4. 40s is really too late to change career. Esp med. by the time you finish training. You will be almost 50. You think you can go do 18hr houseman shift? Then by the time you qualify as a doc, your runway will only left 10yrs or so.

That said. I know of someone who went into TCM in his 40s from a Engineering career. Now owns his own tcm clinic.

Good luck

I never state I want to get into TCM. lol

Age discrimination is real in Singapore. This I do understand.

However, 40s is not too late to change career. There are alot of ppl doing a mid-career change in this era. It is what kind of career you want to change to.

Medical endeavour is time consuming and costly. No sane person with personal commitment will go that path though. But then it is never any shameful to ask around isn't it ? If you have a personal interest in medical, you can have a choice to study on your own, less those interviews and aptitude tests. You don't have to stop learning just because of your age and profile. Isn't it ?

Age discrimination is real in Singapore. This I do understand.

However, 40s is not too late to change career. There are alot of ppl doing a mid-career change in this era. It is what kind of career you want to change to.

Medical endeavour is time consuming and costly. No sane person with personal commitment will go that path though. But then it is never any shameful to ask around isn't it ? If you have a personal interest in medical, you can have a choice to study on your own, less those interviews and aptitude tests. You don't have to stop learning just because of your age and profile. Isn't it ?

how about social work? recently there are lots of advertisement on youtube for mid career change.. if you are passionate about helping people, social work is a great place.

if you strike lottery and pay full fees for overseas education, i think some uk or australia school will take you.

if they dont feel that your poly diploma is sufficient for entry, then you can do a degree first in life science. then followed by grad school.

alternatively, you can also choose to sit a levels as private candidate, then with a good a level results, apply for undergraduate school, then graduate medical school.
whole process may take 12 or 13 years.

but if you are determined. im sure by 55 years, you should be able to graduate with a post grad mbbs/md.

bottomline is if you have the $$$~1million cash and intellect and drive to study, it is doable!

give your family 200k for their expenses. then for the rest of 800k, keep it for your a level, degree and post grad use.

it's not even merely age discrimination.

with the cost and effort required in a medical career. they need to ensure a minimum runway in order to recoup the cost of training etc.

i do hear of mid career nursing change. perhaps that would be a more viable option for the TS.