He went from poly dropout to Cambridge graduate
27-year-old Ian Leung, who was kicked out of polytechnic, overcame the odds and now holds a medical degree
Mr Ian Leung went from dropping out of polytechnic to getting a medical degree from the University of Cambridge.
The 27-year-old, a doctor working in a local hospital, even discovered two previously unknown strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria as part of his bioinformatics research project at Cambridge.
Mr Leung is also a finalist in the annual Cleo Most Eligible Bachelors 2019 competition, which is now in its 24th year showcasing the most talented, successful and charismatic men in Singapore. The finals party will take place at Zouk on May 24, 7pm.
JUST CALL HIM THE COMEBACK KID
Mr Leung fell into bad company as a teenager, where "everything fun came easy back then, like clubbing and drinking", and it took its toll.
"I wasn't studying, I was just taking naps in Cineleisure during school hours. Being popular and fitting in seemed more important," said the former Broadrick Secondary School student, who scored 25 points for his O levels.
His wake-up call came when he dropped out of Nanyang Polytechnic - where he was majoring in mechatronic engineering - after his second year. Specifically, he got kicked out because he failed the core calculus module for two semesters.
He said: "You grow up and ask yourself, 'Is this the life I want?'"
HE REALISED MEDICINE WAS HIS CALLING DURING NATIONAL SERVICE
He recalled the moment that changed everything.
"A soldier was brought in unconscious," he recalled.
"And my medical officer was the calmest out of everyone. He was fixing the problem.
"In that instant, I realised this was what I wanted to do."
HE FOUND WITHIN HIMSELF A NEW DETERMINATION
So how did he go from hating his textbooks to being driven to succeed? Mr Leung believes it was a combination of his parents' support and maturity.
He remembers an officer coming to his home during his army days, an incident that lit a fire in him.
"He had a Master's from an Ivy League school, and when he saw that my (engineer) father had a framed certificate of his Master's (in Business Administration from Singapore) on the wall, he compared the two."
HE WENT FROM FAILING EXAMS TO ATTENDING CAMBRIDGE
With only O levels as his most recent qualification, the process of studying abroad was a tough one.
Mr Leung said: "No university would take me in for the simplest of majors, much less medicine."
However, University of East Anglia in Norwich, England offered him a nine-month foundation year course in Science AS level.
He ended up failing all three pure sciences - biology, physics and chemistry - in the first three months, only scoring about 30 per cent.
He said: "However, I told myself if I could get 30 marks in three months, I would double that in another three months, and (double that in) another three months.
"And I finished with 80-plus per cent for my finals.
"The exponential improvements shocked me, and yet it was a humbling experience. We all can achieve what we set our minds to.
"Besides grades, there was an aptitude test and an interview (to get into Cambridge). This was to holistically assess the student and I did relatively well."
HE IS NOT DONE WITH STUDYING YET
Since returning to Singapore in 2017, Mr Leung has been working in the wards and finds satisfaction in helping patients and solving their problems.
Getting a Master's is next, and he plans to pursue cardiology and become a cardiac surgeon someday.
This article was first published in Cleo Singapore (www.cleo.com.sg)
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