Moving On

Dear Diary,

Sometimes when something is about to happen, there are always some early warning signs. Just before an earthquake, the animals and birds start to act weirdly. Fishes hopping and getting agitated before a tsunami…. Well, I should have guessed that, haha… but in my case, the signs are more coincidental in nature. It was so coincident that a regular elderly customer who was a former matron, visited me at my pharmacy this morning. She asked me if I had heeded her suggestion. I told her I did and was waiting the result. What was the “result” I am talking all these while?

I think it has been a long while since I keep you guys in suspense but it is no longer necessary. To continue the above story with greater clarity, that former matron told me that she knew I would make a good doctor and she said I would be successful in my application. I smiled. However, she was wrong… Sigh.

I tore open the envelope just hours ago in this fateful evening. I am not among the top 25 applicants for the Duke-NUS graduate medical school (GMS). Silence. Not that it came with such a great surprise but it was nevertheless disappointing. After all, over the months, the numerous 300 prospective applicants had dwindled down to 120 and now to 25. It was a fight among the honours, masters and doctorate graduates for those limited places. Since the talk in June last year till now…. 10 months had come and gone. Is everything in vain?

I could see it that way but I think not. These 10 months were some of the most motivating period of my life. I remember the days I rushed off from work to listen to the recruitment talks by GMS in the Biopolis. Then I spent all my precious time reading notes for my Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) during lunch breaks and lull periods in my pharmacy. I spent my off-days and leaves studying in the new National Library until I am so familiar with it, and went through that gruelling 9-hour examination period in NUS. I also had to do lots of over-time at work but somehow I never seem to fall ill. Amazingly, I haven’t had a single medical leave since I started on my current job one year ago. Maybe 1000mg of Vitamin C works wonders.

It was difficult time because I kept it under wraps and had few people I could confide to. I took leaves for interviews and tests etc. Had to go back to work after leaves with that “refreshed” look which everyone expected me to wear. I wasn’t refreshed but resilient I became. Those were the memories I had. Got numerous encouragements from some of my close friends, my former professors from NUS, locum pharmacists, pharmacy juniors, church friends… Even a NTU student who works as a promoter in my pharmacy, lent me her A-level notes in my preparation for the MCAT. =) How nice of her!

I guess this marks the end of 18 years of striving for my childhood ambition. Now I will sit back and work on other aspects of life that I have neglected. That graduate degree needs about $150K just for the 4-year tuition fees. So I suddenly feel rich overnight with all the savings I have been accumulating for it. =P

Coincidentally, this is Holy Week. Good Friday is the day Christ died for the sins and salvation of mankind. Easter Sunday is the resurrection of Christ and His triumph over sin, the Devil and death. Maybe it is a reminder for me to leave the past and have a new beginning.

Okay, that’s all for the night. Goodnight.

God Bless,

Andrew