I am a proud Gundungurra woman who has grown up on Palawa country, Tasmania. From a young age, I have had a deep interest in health and medicine, with my own experiences with illness sparking my curiosity, which has only developed deeper over the years. Due to health issues, I have followed an alternate path to be where I am today, however, my experiences have provided me with a wealth of knowledge and perspectives I am extremely grateful for. My personal experiences allow me an ability to genuinely empathize with patients and individuals struggling, while also interacting with all individuals with increased awareness of the diversity of the human experience and the considerations required for the inclusivity and connection that is important to health care.

My connection to Aboriginal community both in NSW and Tasmania fuels my strong drive to work to correct the significant disparities in health care and health outcomes faced by Aboriginal people today. This has been a driving force that makes me deeply determined to use my access to education and ability to pursue a medical career to ensure I can make a positive change and improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal people and disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Through my personal life experiences, as well as work experiences in Aboriginal youth justice, I have developed a deep passion for improving health care in disadvantaged individuals and communities. From these experiences I have become aware of the significant disparities in health care and psychosocial support faced by Aboriginal youth, as well as the significant discrimination and inequity the Aboriginal population continue to face in the health care system. As a qualified medical practitioner, I intend to use my neurobiology research background to pursue further research on the predisposition of Aboriginal people to specific neurological, mental health or substance abuse disorders, and contribute practically to the development of improved healthcare understanding, prevention, treatment and management of Aboriginal and Torres strait islander people.

I intend to gain experience in rural communities, to develop my understanding of important perspectives, I hope to use the knowledge and understanding acquired from these experiences to work with diverse communities, not only providing the best healthcare possible but also using my experience and knowledge to promote the needs of the community and advocate for positive change towards improved health outcomes for Aboriginal people. I hope to continue to be involved in research expanding on my past contributions and I hope with the wealth of experience I intend to obtain that I will be able to contribute to educational positions, sharing perspectives and promoting discussions and learning around both First Nations health and culturally informed health care, to assist in the development of future health care professionals that will continue to facilitate positive change.