Discovering your passion and purpose
Meet Mr Png Yong Koh (YK) (Class of’ ’87), the founder of PharmacistCoaches.Com with a vision of building a 21st century collaborative corporate world, where all employees would work happily with Passion and Purpose. YK is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of management and leadership experience in the life sciences industry. His expertise spans across diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices/equipment, consumer goods, OTC healthcare, e-Commerce and FMCG. Additionally, he possesses extensive knowledge in the logistics/supply chain sector.
Today, YK serves as a business and career coach, course facilitator and trainer, and workplace learning and development solutionist, dedicating his time and skills to help individuals and organizations thrive. Continue reading to find out how YK discovered his Passion and Purpose.
Finding his ikigai
After graduating from NUS Pharmacy, YK embarked on a transformative journey, navigating through various professional roles in hospitals, communities, and finally finding his place in the pharmaceutical industry. Initially enticed by the industry’s perks, YK’s true purpose unfolded as he immersed himself in the diverse roles of an industry-based pharmacist, including regulatory pharmacist, training manager, and product manager. YK stepped out of his comfort zone and embraced the challenge of taking on sales roles. In doing so, he overcame his introverted nature and built confidence to connect with his customers such as doctors and pharmacists, while leveraging his pharmacological expertise.
After many years of working in the life science industry (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, OTC Consumer, and many more), YK discovered his passion and purpose for sharing and imparting skills and knowledge. With his newfound ikigai (a Japanese concept referring to a reason for living), YK established PharmacistCoaches.Com in 2022 as a platform to provide coaching and mentoring support to our healthcare professionals, as a way of paying tribute to them for their dedication to battle Covid-19 during the pandemic. YK’s vision for PharmacistCoaches.Com has since evolved: “To build a better corporate world where all employees can work happily with Passion & Purpose led by 21st century Transformational Leaders”. Central to YK’s beliefs is the notion that training and education play pivotal roles in nurturing future leaders. With a strong focus on empowering young pharmacists, YK envisions a workforce of skilled professionals who can lead with purpose, integrity, and innovation.
While workplace coaching has gained popularity in the USA, YK recognizes its relatively nascent yet rapid growth in Asia. As more executives in the region realize the profound benefits of coaching, it has become an essential tool for personal and professional development.
YK sharing during a Peak Performance Mindset workshop in 2014
Lifelong learning
YK’s journey to finding his ikigai is rooted in lifelong learning. From his early days at NUS Pharmacy to his current pursuit of new knowledge, YK’s passion for continuous development has been a driving force in his personal and professional growth. YK acknowledges the invaluable role that the NUS Pharmacy curriculum played in shaping his foundation. The programme not only equipped him with essential clinical knowledge but also fostered a deep appreciation for pharmacology, including concepts such as mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
Fuelled by his love of learning and desire for self-development, YK pursued further studies in Marketing, Accounting and Finance, and Business. These additional disciplines not only complemented his pharmacy background but also supplemented the commercial and financial aspects of his career and provided a more holistic approach to his professional endeavours. YK continuously seeks out opportunities for growth and recently completed professional courses in Professional Coaching for Transformational Change and Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP), and is pursuing other professional courses in supply chain management and digital transformation. YK’s insatiable curiosity and relentless pursuit of knowledge not only benefit his own development but also enable him to provide enhanced guidance and support to those he coaches and mentors.
Giving back to the Pharmily
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” YK is a strong advocate of this through his significant contributions to the pharmacy profession in Singapore and his alma mater. YK supported Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS) and NUS Pharmacy initiatives and projects such as setting up his former workplace as an appointed PECT training centre and sponsoring for PSS Pharmacist of the Year award and NUS awards. Currently, YK is a mentor and career coach to pharmacists as well as NUS and NTU students.
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YK winning the PSS – ICM Pharma Industry Pharmacist of the Year Award in 2017 |
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YK winning the Professor Lucy Wan Outstanding Pharmacist Award in 2000 |
As NUS Department of Pharmacy recently established an alumni mentorship program (InSPIRxE), we asked YK to share some tips on how mentors and mentees can have a fruitful mentoring experience and here are 4 tips he shared:
A dose of nostalgia
The Pharmily has held a special place in YK’s heart since his schooling days. In 1983/84, YK served as the Vice Chairman of Rag & Flag Day for the Faculty of Science. He embraced this leadership role after being inspired by the invaluable experiences he had during Orientation Week, where he encountered numerous helpful seniors and fellow classmates. YK fondly reminisces about this period as a profound learning experience that demanded extensive coordination, teamwork, and management among the organizing committee members and stakeholders. Reflecting on those memories, YK warmly recalls, “Through the event, I forged new friendships with both peers and seniors, including those from other faculties. I believe that expanding one’s circle and building a network is invaluable for freshmen, not only to navigate the NUS campus, but also to make university life more enjoyable and enriching.”
Pearl points for all
When asked for advice for students and alumni on how to prepare for and thrive in the workforce, YK provided these pointers:
Live, Laugh, Love
Outside of work, YK engages in hobbies to enrich himself. As a sports enthusiast, he participates in a wide variety of sports, including golf, badminton, squash, softball, swimming, and jogging. In the past, he even represented his JC and NUS Pharmacy in sports competitions and games! Besides playing sports, YK travels 3-4 times a year for holidays. He shares, “Sports and exercise are essential to maintain good health and recharge, while traveling allows me to better appreciate what we have here in Singapore and at home, and also helps me see things from different perspectives, such as diverse cultures and the reasons behind people’s behaviors.”
YK’s travel to Zermatt, Switzerland in 2023
We are deeply grateful to YK for sharing with us his rich life experiences and words of wisdom, and for his contributions to NUS and the pharmacy fraternity in Singapore. We wish YK good health and a fulfilling road ahead pursuing his ikigai!
Article by Shania Marani (Year 1 Pharmacy student)
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