Indigenous Health Scholarship Program

I grew up around the Karrajarri people of Bidgydanga community where I had witnessed many of my close families diagnosed with chronic health conditions simply because of the lack of health access and education we have within our community.

I constantly reflect upon the health of my people, which greatly disappointed me to think that my people as purely disadvantaged in this community.

My passion for medicine has been catalysed by monumental life experiences.   I grasped an understanding of medicine in 2020 when undertaking SAHMRI work experience.   I was enlightened to the multidisciplinary teams in medicine and developed fascination for many specialise.   Completing a Certificate III in Medical Business Administration amplified my love for Medical ethics.   I participated in the volunteer opportunity SONY Camp, where I was responsible for the health of a child.  this taught me the importance of inclusive healthcare, deepening my empathy which I used to support.

I have chosen physiotherapy because I have always had an interest in health, sport and fitness.   As I became older and got more into sport, I started to experience what it is like to have an injury.   Sport has become a passion of mine.   My world literally revolved around proper preparation.  Everything I do, what I eat, training and gym is all for plying football.    Having had injuries, rehabilitation ad recover is knowledge that I want to gain in order to help people manage and recover from their injuries.

I have always thought of doctors and the science of medicine as almost like a super power, and I was so drawn to the concept of healing, comforting and helping others to return to full health, with the ultimate goal of them returning to normal tasks in their daily lives.

It is no secret that the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is significantly lower than non-Indigenous Australians.

By training as an MD, I hope to be able to gain the knowledge and skills to tackle public health issues present in society today, with the treatment and management of diabetes being something I am very passionate about.    As well this, I hope to research the biomechanics behind chronic disorders such as diabetes so that I can aid in improving the management of these conditions.

I have always been interested in the health field.   From a young age I was surrounded by medical professionals.   My parents, aunties, uncles and Ngangkari all worked in Aboriginal Health.  They all worked in my home town of Alice Springs, where they selflessly dedicated themselves to our community members and did the hard work that needed to be done.   This inspired me wot work in the health field, and also give back to my community, just as they did.

The global pandemic underlined to me the important role that health practitioners and researchers play in promoting positive health outcomes.   This renewed interest within the health field of health, as well as my strong desire as an Aboriginal woman to help ‘Close the Gap’ inspired me to begin my studies in the Doctor of Medicine program.

On commencement of my Bachelor of Nursing I was awarded the SA Health Aboriginal Health Scholarship in partnership with Australian Rotary Health.    This scholarship supported me financially, but through Rotary it also provided me with a support network that I would not have had moving from rural South Australia to Adelaide.   On completing my Bachelor of Nursing, I moved back to Port Lincoln to be closer to family but also contribute to the healthcare of the Indigenous community.

Growing up in Roxby Downs showed me how small communities need health care. It was my aspiration that lead me to leave my community and move to boarding school for a better education. My aspiration for after university is to become a rural doctor and work in the remote communities around Australia.

Medicine has been a strong interest of mine since before starting university, however, I was not confident that I was smart enough to study medicine. I have had first-hand experience in hospitals due to my own injuries as well as being present when family members were in hospital with chronic illnesses. The sheer amount of knowledge that doctors had was fascinating to me – though the short falls were easy to see especially with patient communication and conveying empathy towards vulnerable and disadvantaged people. I studied an Arts undergraduate degree straight out of high school, majoring in International Studies and Sociology. I successfully completed the alternate pathway into medicine with Flinders, with encouragement from family, concurrently in the last semester of my undergraduate degree.