A former assistant brain surgeon, Helen Xu, has shared why she left her high-paying medical career for a job at an Amazon warehouse.
The 31-year-old from Brisbane’s south began her medical career in 2018, assisting in surgeries at a Queensland hospital. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, her workload surged, with shifts lasting up to 30 hours. Without children or elderly relatives to care for, Xu often took on extra shifts, leaving her exhausted and with little time to rest.
“There was a lot of pressure on those without family commitments to come in,” Xu explained. Her demanding on-call schedule left her feeling drained and uncertain about when she could take a break.
By September 2021, the relentless schedule pushed Xu to leave the medical field. Surprisingly, she found herself intrigued by Amazon’s delivery efficiency during the lockdown and decided to join the company. In October 2021, she started as a casual warehouse associate, stacking shelves and preparing orders. Since then, Xu has worked her way up to a full-time operations shift manager.
“I’d never worked in a job like that before, but I kept wondering why Amazon delivered so much faster than other companies,” she said.
While assistant surgeons earn a base salary of around $113,792, Xu’s hourly wage at Amazon started at $32, working four to five shifts per week. Despite the pay gap, she feels the change was worth it for the improved work-life balance. “Now I have more time for myself, and it works out.”
Xu, who rents in Brisbane, says she is financially stable and appreciates the inclusive work culture at Amazon. “The work environment is so diverse. People come from all different backgrounds, and there’s no judgment. It’s really opened my mind.”
As for a return to the operating room, Xu says she has “no plans to go back to the hospital.”
Her career shift comes as Amazon is in the midst of a hiring spree, with 600 seasonal positions available across Australia ahead of the Christmas season.