For two and a half years, the dining table in Sister Grace Krishnan’s home doubled as a shared study space for her and her two daughters.
While her daughters, aged 23 and 25, pored over coursework in early childhood and community development, the 49-year-old was tackling modules for a Diploma in Healthcare Management at Republic Polytechnic.
Returning to school after a 20-year hiatus, the senior patient service associate executive at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) had to balance rigorous evening classes with a demanding full-time job.
Sister Grace’s journey into healthcare began in 2005, after an encounter that altered the course of her career.
Entering the workforce right after completing her N Levels, she initially worked outside the healthcare sector.
But during a visit to a clinic, she witnessed a patient service associate patiently comforting a crying patient – a moment that left a lasting impression on her.
“The compassion and dedication she demonstrated left a deep impression on me. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be part of the healthcare sector,” she said.
Nearly two decades later, as Singapore’s healthcare landscape evolved rapidly, Sister Grace felt increasing pressure to upgrade her skills. When NNI offered to sponsor her diploma studies in October 2022, she decided to take the leap.
Returning to the classroom in her late 40s, however, proved daunting. Her part-time evening classes stretched already long days even further. She would leave home at 6.45am, work from 8am to 4pm, grab a quick dinner, and then commute to campus for lectures that ran from 7pm to 10pm.
Beyond the physical exhaustion, she also faced a steep technological learning curve compared with her younger classmates.
“I wondered whether I could do it – whether I could type while listening to the lecturer, and truly multitask,” she recalled. The first two months were especially overwhelming, to the point where she seriously considered dropping out.
What anchored her was a robust support system at home and in school. Her husband, Mr Murugan K Gopal, who works shift duties at Changi Airport, took over household chores and weekend meals, freeing up the precious time she needed for group projects.
In school, she found unexpected camaraderie among her classmates. Initially concerned about whether younger peers – many from non-healthcare backgrounds – would accept her, she instead found them to be an important source of support.
They helped her search for references and take notes quickly during lectures, while Sister Grace shared practical insights from her years of operational experience in healthcare. The friendships endured beyond graduation, and the group still meets monthly for dinner.
She graduated in April 2025, a week before her elder daughter, Harini Murugan, who is now an assistant teacher at Rainbow Centre.
At work, the diploma enabled Sister Grace to take on expanded responsibilities. Today, she leads a team of nearly 40 patient service associates at NNI and supports projects ranging from implementing the National Billing System to establishing workflows for new services.
She shared that her studies also gave her deeper knowledge in areas such as health psychology and active ageing, enabling her to better understand the mental and social well-being of elderly patients she encounters daily.
Her perseverance and commitment to lifelong learning eventually earned her recognition at the NTUC May Day Awards 2026 held on May 13, where she received the Model Worker award.
Looking back, Sister Grace urged other mature workers, especially married women who may feel constrained by age or family responsibilities, not to put off further studies.
“When you want to learn, don’t let age hold you back or make you think you can’t do it. If you put in the effort and have your family’s support, you can definitely succeed,” she said.
