year-old locum doctor, sitting at her desk.” />Faith Choo
- After completing her medical education in 2021, Faith Choo initially joined the public health sector.
- However, pervasive burnout compelled her to exit this environment within just a year of practicing.
- To sever ties with the Singapore government’s service requirement, she incurred substantial financial penalties amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This personal narrative is derived from an interview with Faith Choo, aged 27. She decided to leave Singapore’s public healthcare system and is now serving as a locum physician. The content has been modified for brevity and clarity while maintaining accuracy verified by Business Insider.
I realized my aspiration to be a physician when I was merely 13 years old.
The motivation stemmed from my parents’ careers as doctors. Their enduring passion for medicine remains apparent even after three decades in practice; they derive immense satisfaction from their work.
Interestingly enough, it was also my parents who attempted to dissuade me from entering this challenging field. They recounted daunting tales about the realities of being a doctor and cautioned me about its physically demanding nature.
Challenging Yet Rewarding Medical School Journey
Faith Choo
The initial two years of studying medicine echoed high school—filled with extensive learning and vast amounts of material needing memorization.
The third year brought excitement coupled with significant demands as we began shadowing junior doctors at hospitals while maintaining night study sessions after exhaustive days on-site.
I gradually became aware that we would soon take over those doctors’ responsibilities—a realization that came with an overwhelming sense of duty towards patient care weighing heavily on me.”
Seniors would often warn us about life post-graduation—the exhaustion stemming from perpetual night shifts and being on call for endless hours without respite.
Doubts crept into my mind: “Am I capable physically? Am I mentally prepared for such strains? Do I have what it takes?” These were questions haunting me constantly during that time period.
Navigating Burnout Amidst Grueling Hours
Faith Choo
Prior to commencing formal studies in college, I completed hospital attachments assisting general practitioners; however, nothing compared to immersively experiencing everyday life within these roles later on post-graduation.`
The most notable change after entering practice was facing relentless hours not typically endorsed through prior experiences.
It didn’t take long before consulting limits met serious fatigue paired alongside emotional burnouts became overwhelming challenges following successive taxing shifts.
The contemplation regarding whether or not resignation might be inevitable arose initially after clocking up nineteen consecutive working days.
I reached unprecedented physical fatigue levels; remarkably feeling wearier than many patients fighting ailments—particularly since they received ample rest whereas calls demanded acute life-or-death decisions irrespective.
Maintaining high accountability standards remained essential despite struggling against sheer exhaustion: yielding troubling reflections associated unsafe practices under immense duress illuminated thoughts questioning how viable sustainability lasting efforts truly provide services meant positively shaping others’ lives.
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In Singaporean society doctors commonly shoulder considerable commitments mandated via governmental support structures providing heavily subsidized costs throughout education which require stringent stipulations placed upon graduates centered around contracting obligations spanning five functional years beyond first professional placements
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Post-training assignments commonly result weekly schedules extending across fifty-nine hours—even possibly escalating towards eighty floating averages stretching upwards soliciting prolonged overtime experiences often entangled missing crucial familial engagements
This situation ultimately felt unmanageable wherein anticipating damage impactful pathways manifested broken connections impeded forging vital healthy long-term prospects
Despite costs milling surpass $375k significantly around $75k per annum involving penalties breaking contract societies oftentimes separated truths grounded commuting near impossible seed-formulated ideals could yield prosperity
Strikingly meanwhile amid unexpected twists comprising strong favor amongst peers arises when engaging pivot do something different empowering others testimonies come shining forth upon decision made despite externally generated stressors once broadcasting shift sharing authentic truths yielded astounding recovery responses interventions field enhancing tranquility
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Initiating Newly Charted Realities
Following resignation marked July last year transition opened opportunities rejuvenating self far-reaching alternatives intermingling dreams multifaceted customization occurred harmoniously participating lifestyles enriching experiential journeys claimed spontaneous moments stood defiantly tending revived identities honoring previous practices fortifying understandings flourishing perspectives choices!
Currently dividing energies amongst diverse platforms including unbound endeavors temporally exchanging fulfilling routines volunteering increased participation advancing fields proximal dedicated mental health measures produced exciting reflective optimism generated positivity enacting gradients beneficial parallels nursing domains overall encouraging enrichment associatively considering global concepts rendering synergistic futures!!!
Reflective potentials stressing jarring dynamics caused amidst recent runs excessive demands observed dramatically highlighting impact competition lingering harsh discrepancies affecting younger generations actively responding validate currently facilitate preferences achieving attainable balances-called pathway!!
