PhD Doctor In China Quits Medical Career, Chooses Food Delivery And Music

While her parents were initially confused by her choice to quit, they are slowly coming around as she shares her new experiences with them.

27 Sep 2026, 11:22 · NDTV

Liu Zihan, a 31-year-old woman in China who was a psychiatrist, quit her job at a famous hospital to lead a simpler lifestyle. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Liu earned her doctorate in health sciences from the University of Macau by age 27. But now she delivers food, performs at a pub, sells breakfast, and prefers to do what she wants to.

After years of hard work, she completed medical school at Sichuan University and got a job as a medical doctor and postdoctoral researcher at a top hospital in Zhuhai.

She earned praise from her patients and earned a salary, but Liu struggled with the tight schedules and intense pressures. So after two years, she stepped down from her position in February.

As per the media outlet, she said she enjoyed. "I prefer genuine communication between hearts," she noted.

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Liu refused to climb the corporate or medical ladder; she chose to support herself through several flexible part-time jobs.

Liu says her new routine has connected her with everyday workers, like street vendors and fellow gig workers, who have shown her a sense of community and ease she rarely found while working at the hospital.

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“Delivery riders share traffic updates, and pub singers and stall owners look out for each other. In comparison to grades and competition, there are far more significant values, like care and support," she said.

While her parents were initially confused by her choice to quit, they are slowly coming around as she shares her new experiences with them.

This is not an isolated case; another Chinese woman named Dong Min stepped away from a two-decade medical career to run a baozi shop. She left the healthcare industry to open a steamed bun eatery in Wuhan, Hubei province. The 48-year-old reportedly said that she is happier after the career switch.

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