HOW OLD ARE YOU DOCTOR?

I have been asked the question “How old are you, doctor?” numerous times, by my patients (most of them Chinese aunties). And every time, I would ask them back, “How old do you think I am?”. It really doesn’t help to be a doctor who looks 10 years younger than her actual age. After Form 5, I did 1 year of A-level before attending medical school for 5 & ½ years. Now it has been 6 years plus since I graduated & started working. So how old does that make me?

Here are some of the responses I got from my patients:

Not very smart Chinese aunty → “You look very young lah, doctor. Must be very smart, graduate so early. I guess…..you are only 21 years old.”

Another not so smart Chinese aunty → “You cannot be more than 24 years old. Wah…..so young become doctor, must be very smart.”

Pretty smart Chinese aunty → “I think you must be around 35, considering the time you spent in medical school & the years of practice. But your face doesn’t look like 35 because you have baby face.”

Also quite smart Chinese aunty → “You look like you are in your early 20’s but I think you are older than that because you spend so many years in university.”

Overtly generous aunty → “Your face look like 18, but I think you are around 20 plus.”


None of them has guessed correctly, but I give credit to the aunty who guessed my age to be 35. I think she has been the closest so far.