There are various paths you might take to find a degree or a career that sparks joy! We sat down with non-recent school leaver, Kenny Paek, to hear his story.
Photo credit: Toby Burrows
Hey Kenny! Tell us about yourself and your study background
I am 21 years old and I’m currently in my second year at UTS, studying a Bachelor of Medical Science. Believe it or not, I didn’t do any science subjects in high school - and, this isn’t my first degree.
Following the release of the ATAR, I did receive two offers, both at different institutions. Due to parental pressures, I was strongly encouraged to do a bachelor of criminology and criminal justice. So in mid 2018 I commenced my studies. Now, I already had plans to go work in the Australian Federal Police and join the army reserves. But having the security of a degree eased my mind as I was confident I would be able to enlist in both services. However, early 2019, as I was applying for the army reserves, I was shattered by news of my rejection. I was deemed unfit for service due to the various injuries I had sustained in my life.
Knowing this, and realising I couldn’t join the force as well. I had to seriously consider my backup. In all honesty, I didn’t enjoy studying criminology for several reasons.
What did you do next?
I was momentarily lost but I realised I had time to change. I decided to explore other disciplines: economics, science, communications. I enjoyed all of them but I found I had a particular interest in the human body. Perhaps it was influenced by my own personal circumstances, but I found the human body fascinating and learning about the science behind it all gave me great joy and excitement. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I can still serve my community in other ways. I now wanted to become a doctor, but I decided that I would take a slight detour.
I started doing research on the various science/health degrees and the universities that offered them. There were many universities to choose from, but I was particularly interested in UTS for their nursing and medical science degrees, and so I applied. The process was simple, all I had to do was reapply through UAC and wait for the offer rounds. The difference being that this time, only my university assessment and exams marks were considered in my application. Throughout the year I worked hard to push up my marks so that I would increase my chances in receiving an offer. You could imagine my excitement when I received the offer from UTS!
How did you feel about making the shift?
In retrospect, there were many things that I was fearful of when it came to changing degrees. Here’s some examples of what went through my mind.
- All my friends will be graduating soon
- I didn’t study it in high school, I’m going to struggle
- All I’ve done is waste time, and I’m incurring more debt
- Is this really what I want to do?
- Can I even make it into med-school?
These thoughts of self-doubt were a culmination of fear at the thought of failing and losing sight of my goals again. But, I found support in friends and family. Even my dad who had a strong influence in what I did previously, showed great support for my choice to change degrees and even admitted that his advice was misguided.
What’s your advice for someone in a similar position?
My story isn’t unique. People go about their lives for many years, content, only to realise later that they wanted more or something different. Whatever your reasons may be, no matter the circumstance, it is never too late to re-evaluate and reinvent yourself into someone you can be proud of. Just go for it!