M'sian woman, 23, who went viral after climbing tree to take exam, pursuing medicine to become surgeon

Passion knows no limits.

Veveonah Mosibin, 23, who went viral in June 2020 after climbing up a tree in Sabah, Malaysia to get better Internet connection for her online examinations, has decided to pursue medicine after graduating from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) with a marine science degree.

According to The Star, she is currently studying in a five-year medical programme at the Management and Science University (MSU) in Shah Alam.

Hopes to become a surgeon

In a Facebook post on Jan. 3, Veveonah confirmed that she had received her degree in marine science from UMS.

She added that the five years went by in "a blink of an eye".

Veveonah also expressed her gratitude to her family and lecturers, as well as the scholarship by the Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman for supporting her in her journey at UMS.

"This chapter may be over, but I'm coming back one day – hopefully when the UMS hospital is up and running!" she quipped.

She told The Star that she has been kept motivated in school by the "supportive environment" and "friendships with hardworking peers".

Veveonah added that she was inspired by her parents' encouragement and her elder siblings' achievements to pursue medicine, sharing that she hopes to become a surgeon in Sabah.

Lost interest in marine science during Covid-19 pandemic

Veveonah, who hails from a family of farmers in the Sapatalang village in Pitas, said that she is currently awaiting for the approval of a scholarship for her current studies.

According to New Straits Times (NST), she had lost interest in marine science during the Covid-19 pandemic as she had to "learn everything online".

"Marine science requires more hands-on, physical learning," she said, adding that she decided on the switch to medicine in 2021.

In June 2020, Veveonah went viral for her "24 Hours On Tree Challenge" video on YouTube.

In the video, she documented herself climbing up a tree in the village and staying there for 24 hours, where she completed her online examinations.

Her reason? Better Internet connection.

She was also stung by a hornet and fell asleep on the tree with limited supplies.

Her video garnered attention, and has about 890,000 views to date.

Top photos via Veveonah Mosibin/Facebook & Veveonah M/YouTube