The septuagenarian said he was inspired by two young students from India.
Cover image via FMT & Hong Keng Toh (Facebook)
Toh Hong Keng is a 70-year-old grandfather of two.
This weekend, he will become a medical graduate when he receives his degree from Southwestern University in the Philippines.
In an interview with FMT, the septuagenarian quipped that he could very well be the "world's oldest medical graduate".
Toh, who turns 71 in September this year, will receive his degree on Saturday, 20 July, 2024.
While it is unclear whether he will become the world's oldest medical graduate, he will certainly become Southwestern University's oldest graduate since its founding in 1946.
The official Guinness World Records website does not list a category recognising the world's oldest medical graduate. However, according to the Singapore Book of Records, Atomic Leow Chuan Tse is recognised as the oldest medical student in the world. He was 66 when he graduated in 2015 as a Doctor of Medicine from the University GT Popa of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, Romania.
What makes Toh's story even more fascinating is that he was a lifelong sales and marketing professional who worked for close to 30 years in the field
He has worked for companies like Hewlett-Packard and Welch Allyn, and has held top regional leadership positions before deciding to leave it all behind and pursue medicine.
Born to rubber tappers of Hokkien descent in Port Dickson, Toh attended Port Dickson High School before transferring to King George V School in Seremban, FMT reported.
He holds a degree in chemistry and control engineering from the University of Bradford, England, and a master's degree in chemical engineering from Imperial College London.
The grandfather told FMT that while he never aspired to become a doctor, he was inspired by two young students from India he met during a trip to the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan.
"They were pursuing their medical degree and it dawned on me that I could do the same. I thought it would be fun to be a student again after I retired. If I can be a doctor, maybe I can join Doctors Without Borders or at least take care of me and my family's health during retirement," he said.
Toh said he was unable to pursue medicine in Malaysian universities as they only accepted straight-A students, adding that private institutions were too expensive.
He also considered universities in China but was disappointed after learning that the age cap for applicants is 30.
That's when the Philippines came into picture.
Toh, who has been living in Hong Kong for 30 years and is a permanent resident, said he had to pass a pre-med degree and the national medical admission test.
He has been studying medicine for the past five years after failing one of his subjects.
"I failed in paediatrics in my third year, but the 12-month final year medical clerkship was the toughest," he said.
Meanwhile, this 19-year-old student from Kuching, Sarawak, is the only Malaysian accepted into the prestigious California Institute of Technology for the Class of 2028:
Check out more inspirational stories from Malaysians:
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