‘How much will a five-year career gap hurt me?’: Singapore PhD holder shares worries after taking 'reluctant' break amid cancer treatment
SINGAPORE: A Singapore PhD holder with peer-reviewed publications and experience as an “early contributor to modern AI” took to an online forum out of concern over how much a five-year gap could hurt his career after taking a “reluctant” break amid his cancer treatment.
On r/singaporejobs, he wrote that he had been “extraordinarily successful and capable” in his younger days, with a “diverse skill set across all STEM disciplines”. However, a near-fatal cancer diagnosis came just before he was ready to found his own company, bringing him to his knees.
He said he had since joined an experimental treatment programme at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), which was showing a “miraculous response” to his otherwise “unbeatable” cancer.
“My estimation is that I will have a shot at full remission in at least a total of five years,” he added.
After reluctantly choosing to take a career break because he did not want to “gamble the slightest” on his chances of survival, he asked others: “How damaged is my career from a five-year break to deal with a major disease in my early thirties?”
Commenters flooded him with encouragement, telling him to focus on recovering first.
One said, “A five-year break does not erase your experience. I do not think a five-year break will end your career. Much of modern AI work is cloud-based. The field will change, but your existing knowledge and experience will remain valuable. For now, focus on your treatment and recovery. You can deal with your career later.”
“You already have a strong record. When you are ready, you may need time to catch up. That is very different from starting again,” the commenter added.
Another remarked, “Makes people think what kind of culture and social stigma will result in a cancer patient asking this question.”
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According to NCCS, “It is normal to feel nervous about returning after taking significant time off work while on cancer treatment. Some may find the transition to going back to work full time easy, but for many this may take time and adjustments, both mentally and physically.”
As Singapore Cancer Society CEO Tan Kwang Cheak said in his Channel News Asia commentary in April, what is rarely talked about with cancer is “the second battle that begins after treatment: returning to work.” /TISG