Secrets to Success

Degree and University: Masters of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London School of Economics and Political Science

Bachelor of Social Sciences (Economics), National University of Singapore (NUS)

Year that you joined Deloitte: 2012

Hobbies/Interests: Running and spending a quiet day at a cafe reading  

Time for a change

When Michelle told her friends and family that she was planning to take a year off at work, and relocate to London to pursue her Masters, most of her loved ones simply replied “I wish I could do that”.

While many dream of taking time off, Michelle was determined to put her dreams into action, and in 2015, the Consultant decided to pack her bags and move to London.

At first, she was concerned that the time away from work and the industry may hurt her career, and even wanted to resign from her current role, but with blessings from both her family, her bosses and colleagues, she decided it was time for a change.

“After 3 years in the consulting industry, I thought that it was timely and appropriate for me to further my education for the purpose of career progression and personal development,” she shared.

With a Degree in Economics from the National University of Singapore, Michelle has been in a consulting role with Deloitte since 2012, advising clients in the public and healthcare sectors.

Currently, she is staffed on a project with a public sector healthcare client in Southeast Asia to determine how intermediate and long-term care facilities can be potentially designed based on Lean Six Sigma principles to improve efficiency and deliver a holistic patient-centric experience.

The role at Deloitte, as well as her experiences gained from working on projects at the firm, allowed Michelle to tick all the boxes to successfully qualify for the Masters degree in Health Policy, Planning and Financing in London.

“Initially, it was tough to broach the topic of taking a year off to my colleagues and bosses. To my surprise, my hesitations were totally unnecessary as everyone was very encouraging and understood my desire to obtain the Masters degree,” said Michelle.

Michelle attributes her experiences gained to Deloitte, “If it wasn’t for what I have learnt at Deloitte, I would never make the application.”

“In London, besides the time spent in classes, the experience has truly shaped my thoughts and life into a better one.”

“I was given the opportunity to work on a project with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Health Policy and Pharmaceutical Economics, as well as the partner of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and even rubbed shoulders with a Nobel Prize Laureate and a former North Korean defector!” she recalled fondly.

“During our holidays, I had the chance to travel to Tromso to catch the northern lights and explored most of England.”

“Being away from home was truly an eye-opener. I see everything now through different lens and it has made me much more confident. I had an incredibly steep learning curve in school and had the opportunity to learn from some of the best professors, as well as made some lifelong friends throughout my stay in London. Most importantly, I am now back in Singapore refreshed and rejuvenated, and ready to take the next step in my career,” she said.