70-Year-Old Becomes One of the Oldest Medical Graduates

70-Year-Old Man Defies Expectations by Becoming One of the World’s Oldest Medical Graduates

By Regina Sienra on September 20, 2024

It's never too late to pursue your dreams. Just ask Toh Hong Keng, who has become one of the oldest, if not the oldest medical graduate in the world. At 70 years old, the Hong Kong-based retired executive got his degree from the University PHINMA in Cebu, Philippines.

“My family and friends were surprised at first. Several of my friends thought I was crazy wanting to study medicine at this age,” Toh told CNN. “It wasn’t always easy. At 65 to 70 years old, my memory, eyesight, hearing, and body are not as good as when I was younger.”

After decades working as a tech seller, he retired in 2019. A few days later, he began studying and applying to medical schools around Asia. “The only reason why I decided to study medicine was because I wanted something useful to do,” he said. “I’ve done different courses. I’ve done economics, I’ve done chemistry, I’ve done electronic engineering—but I don’t want to do that again.”

One of the first obstacles Toh encountered was finding a program that would even admit him, as most were capped for applicants under 35 or 40. Once admitted to University PHINMA, he dealt with the school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic and took all of his lectures online.

“Studying medicine is intensive and extensive, but it’s not that hard, it’s just hard work,” he said. Toh wasn't given special treatment either. He was held back a year after failing a pediatrics exam in his third year. And like the rest of his peers, in his final year, Toh was required to complete a one-year placement at a hospital, with some shifts lasting up to 30 hours.

That's why his family and even classmates checked in on him constantly, inspiring him to keep going. “Sir Toh was my classmate, and like many others, I was initially surprised and curious about why he wanted to become a doctor at his age,” one of his classmates wrote in a comment on Instagram. “But despite being older, he was no less of a student. He was academically competitive, highly disciplined, and a true inspiration. I'm proud to have graduated alongside such a remarkable individual.”

Now, Toh is not sure he'll take the extra courses needed to become a practicing doctor, but he is happy to be able to look after himself. Instead of the year-long intership and study needed for a medical board exam, Toh hopes to work as a consultant for a company dedicated to allergy and immunology diagnostics. Ultimately, he has a message for anyone with similar dreams: “If you have a dream to be a medical doctor, you can still do it at any age.”