A medic and beauty expert

How did you become the founder of a professional bridal hair and make-up company?

I have always loved hair and make-up and believe that there is a part of every woman that does. I started by providing a hair and make-up service for friends and family. Word spread, and it got to a point where I was inundated with requests, receiving phone calls from people I didn’t know. So I decided to set up professionally. I began by providing some of the national bridal magazines with pictures from my portfolio. Fortunately, they liked the work and invited me down to take part in photo shoots. From there the business acquired its own momentum, and now Asian Creations has become a sought after name in Asian bridal hair and make-up.

How did you find adjusting to life as a mature medical student?

I began medicine when my youngest son started playgroup. I’ve always wanted to study medicine but felt that with the business and four children and a husband I would have to wait until the time was right. When you’ve been cleaning nappies and wiping vomit for seven years you wonder whether your brain has turned into the kind of mush that you have been feeding your toddler. It wasn’t easy being a student again, but the staff recognised that mature students have a different attitude and approach to their studies compared with their younger counterparts, and they tailor their support accordingly.

What has been most challenging so far?

Being from an Asian background meant I had to overcome a lot of stereotypes. The fact that I was a mother of four and about to start medical school didn’t go down very well with many people. The general response was “What do you think you’re doing: going into medicine, running a business, and bringing up your children?” Although exasperating to hear I was determined not to let the negative comments affect me. Bringing up my children well and fulfilling their needs has always been of the utmost importance. Fortunately I have an extremely understanding and supporting husband and family, and I will not neglect my kids by forgetting to mention how great they have been as well. As a family we have adjusted to the changing dynamics in all of our lives over the past five years.

Do you have any regrets?

I don’t have any regrets about the way I’ve done things. I’m really glad that I have had my children young; we are growing up together and having lots of fun. Many of my colleagues have told me that they think I have done things the right way around: they have yet to find partners and settle into married life or taken career breaks to have children. It is harder this way around but I couldn’t have done it any other way.

What are your career plans after graduation?

It’s still early days but I suppose foundation training will be the platform for me to decide. My gut instinct is to stay in hospital medicine. I am interested in emergency and trauma medicine, and have enjoyed my obstetrics and gynaecology placement. But I have an open mind and need more experience before committing myself to anything.

With regards to my business plans I’d love to teach hair and make-up because I have had so many people inquiring about hair and make-up classes. It would also be a great way to expand the business, although this is something that I may have to put on hold until after foundation training.

What advice do you have for medical students?

It’s really important to plan what you want to do. Sometimes things just happen, however, and I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. You may plan in a straight path but you always have to be prepared for obstacles along the way, and you just have to learn to adapt and overcome these obstacles.

Time management is also important, but it is something you have to work on personally. There are only 24 hours in a day, and I feel that you have to exercise a certain degree of prioritisation and allocate a specified amount of time for the different aspects of your life. If you categorise these in boxes it helps you deal better with life. In my case, my business, the degree, my husband, and my children represent different boxes, and I try to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each box. The only thing with this is to make sure that all the boxes fit the shelf that is your life. You don’t want the shelf to come tumbling down if you put too much on it, so self regulate and make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Competing interests: None declared.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

      

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