malaysia or singapore?

okay, students who have just finished received their stpm results in march will know what i'm talking about. btw, stpm is the equivalent of a-levels outside malaysia. it is around this time when you have to decide the next step in life, the selection of course and university.

it can be described as the defining point of your life, make or break time. the decision that will ultimately choose your career for you. the career that you will stick with for the rest of your life. okay,maybe thats a little too much, careers can always be changed provided you have the will to learn.haha but i know thats not me. so, i've only got 1 shot to get this right.
may the force be with me for this one. haha

decisions, decisions.
the results for my application to the national university of singapore just got released a couple of days ago.
this was what it said,

You have been offered Pharmacy in academic year 2008 - 2009.
The details of the offer will be stated in the offer letter.
Your letter of offer was sent on 30-Apr-2008.
Please reply here by 14-May-2008.

wth!!!! 14th may! that was like 10 days away! hmm maybe they thought it was ample time to decide about my future..hmm..

my other offer from singapore was from nanyang technological university. i actually applied there as a back up plan..oh well, i screwed up in the scholarship interview anyway.actually i can cross this off my list, i'm not really into engineering anyway.haha

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for admission to the NanyangTechnological University in academic year 2008-09 for a programme of study in Bioengineering
The deadline for acceptance of offer for admission is Wednesday, 21 May 2008.

at least i had more time to mull over something i didn't want..hmm

okay,now the real dilemma is this. admission results to local public universities will be released in early june. sigh, long way to go, one can only dream of a more convenient date. the other main option for me is medicine in a public uni, hopefully universiti malaya ir universiti kebangsaan malaysia, if i'm offered a place. of course the title Doctor seems so much more prestigious, and whenever i hear the word 'pharmacy', i think of smiling ladies in orange uniforms welcoming me into any Guardian pharmacy. hmm,not very appealing.haha

but the thing is, pharmacists are playing a more important role in the healthcare sector by the day, and their scope of responsibilities seem to be widening by the day. imagine the scenario in 5 or 6 years time. surely a day will come when pharmacists have almost the same, or even equal autonomy as practising doctors.

another factor i'm considering is the future prospects of the job. lets face the facts, singapore versus malaysia? almost a mismatch. both countries have their pros, but in the search for greener pastures, being a pharmacist in singapore could trump being a doctor in malaysia.

and also the place of study is vital to me. national university of singapore. wow. one of the top unis in asia. there are limitless opportunities theres ranging from exposure to international cultures from foreign students, right down to to being able to use the most sophisticated equipment in the manufacture of generic drugs.
on the other hand, i was born and raised a malaysian, and i feel comfortable with the familiarities of my surroundings, plus it will be closer to my friends and family.

hmm, its tough. to be a doctor in malaysia (should i gain admission) with the compulsary 2 years housemanship and 3 years government service (sigh) , or to be a pharmacist with a potentially brighter future in singapore

who knows what the future holds, only time will tell. and oh yeah, no pressure.