PETALING JAYA • A 19-year-old woman is set to become Malaysia's youngest doctor upon her graduation next year, reported Sin Chew Daily.

Ms Chan Hao Shan is currently in the final year of her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery studies at Taylor's University in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Her interest in medicine began at age eight when her mother, an accountant, was diagnosed with cancer.

From a young age, she had expressed interest in learning about the human body and how the various organs function. "For instance, I was really interested in what happens to the throat when we swallow something," she told Sin Chew Daily on Sunday, adding that she also cultivated a strong passion for reading.

As she appeared to be academically ahead of her peers, Ms Chan's parents transferred her to an international school three years after she attended a primary school in Kuala Lumpur. She reportedly completed her secondary school education in a single year.

"I've always loved challenging myself, so I thought, 'Why not jump to a higher level in school?' I would often feel bored in class and felt the pace of learning was too slow," Ms Chan explained.

She enrolled in the Australian Matriculation Programme - an internationally recognised pre-university programme - at the age of 14 and finished her studies in a year. She was the youngest student in her graduate batch. She plans to continue her studies as a specialist upon graduation.