Chua was Ng’s family doctor and he admired the manner in which the former treated his patients.
Today, Ng is one step closer to achieving his dream after graduating from the School of Medical Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia, at the age of 57, proving that age is no barrier when it comes to learning.
He has also earned the honourable distinction of becoming USM’s oldest medical graduate.
Ng’s journey to become a medical graduate took an unconventional route.
He studied electrical and communications engineering in the UK, where he graduated with first-class honours in 1992 and immediately joined Singapore Telecom as a manager.
A decade later he decided to join his wife, Jasmine Lim, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.
“After I completed the TCM course at the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I gained confidence to pursue my ultimate goal.
“That’s when I decided to try modern medicine,” he said when met at his convocation here.
So at the age of 51, Ng, who hails from Batu Pahat, Johor, began studying medicine.
Ng – who is fondly known as “Uncle Jet” by his classmates and lecturers – will be the first to admit that it was no walk in the park.
Which is why he is ever grateful to two individuals, namely Dr Kamarul Aryffin Baharuddin, the dean of the university’s school of medicine, and mentor Dr Jefri Malin Abdullah.
“Without them, it would have been difficult for me. I managed to climb the difficult hill because of my lecturers at USM.”
On Sunday, Ng will report for housemanship at USM’s Specialist Hospital in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, and is both excited and a little anxious as the coming two years will be demanding.
“Housemanship is a very difficult training process for people of our age.
“If I don’t do it now, I may not have the opportunity to do so later. And I do not want to live in regret.”
Ng also hopes to specialise in geriatrics one day if “time and his health” permits, although his long-term goal is to open a clinic that integrates both modern medicine and TCM.