As a child, I was lucky to be taught the value of being part of a community, and can not wait to experience this again in Wallaroo next year. Growing up, I loved attending my local kindergarten, primary school and high school – all within walking distance of my childhood home – building friendships that continue to thrive to this day. In my younger years I was an avid member of my local Scouts group and helped organise charity fundraisers in my school and wider community, gaining insights into broader inequities both locally and across Australia.

For the past five years I have volunteered with an organisation that prepares and serves meals to people in need in the city, often those experiencing housing insecurity, substance use and mental health conditions. I am pleased to read of similar charitable initiatives by the Northern Yorke Peninsula Rotary Club and welcome the opportunity to participate in these events during my time there next year.

A surprisingly significant part of my life has been working at my local supermarket. Though it started merely as a tentative step towards earning money in my early teens, I felt so welcomed by the team (and of course my regular customers!) that I spent 7 years working there on evenings and weekends, supported by management who were very accommodating with my studies. Unfortunately, with my upcoming move to Wallaroo, I have had to finally quit my job (though promised to keep in contact), meaning I will now be relying solely on government Youth Allowance payments to support myself next year.

I have been lucky enough to live at home with my mum, who has supported me throughout my studies on a single income, without complaint, allowing me to save my earnings to buy a second-hand car (actually third-hand!) and travel when my budget and study workload permits.

With the assistance of the Australian Rotary Health Scholarship, I will be able to dedicate my free time on the Copper Coast to exploring and participating in local events, rather than seeking new part-time work. As a keen boulderer in Adelaide, I love how welcoming and inclusive the sport is and am excited to join a similarly welcoming community activity on the Yorke Peninsula. I truly appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship, as the assistance would allow me to pursue community activities like becoming a member of the local gym and building the courage to join the parkrun team. The ability to maintain a healthy, balanced life outside of my studies will help me stay academically motivated and ready to tackle the responsibilities of 5th year medicine, whilst forming friendships, connections and fully integrating into my new home

This year has been my favourite year of university so far! After a week of orientation simulations in Adelaide, I packed up my things and made the move to Wallaroo. We were welcomed with a run of scorching 40°C days, which gave us the perfect excuse to explore the local beaches and find the best ice cream spots!

Throughout the semester my rotations have involved working in the emergency department of Wallaroo Hospital, and parallel consulting in two GP clinics: Moonta Medical Centre and Kadina Medical Associates. My time in the ED has been filled with hands-on experiences and invaluable (but challenging) opportunities to assess patients independently, under the supervision of a senior. It has been great to participate in emergency care in a rural setting and see firsthand the process of MedSTAR retrievals. We have also had the opportunity to work with visiting anaesthetists and geriatricians, and can join the amazing team at Point Pearce Aboriginal Health Clinic throughout the year.

I have loved having extended rotations in the GP clinics, as I really value being able to get to know patients and follow their journey across multiple visits to the clinic and hospital throughout the year. We’ve been lucky enough to practice parallel consulting with our supervising GPs, who have provided amazing teaching. I’ve had opportunities to practice suturing, participate in Kadina’s Pelvic Pain clinic and have given countless vaccinations! I’ve also had the privilege of helping out in C-sections and deliveries with the local obstetricians – and then been able to see the babies and parents in clinic later as they come in for baby check-ups and vaccinations!

Whilst placement has been an exciting step-up in responsibility, I’m also thankful to have had enough time to involve myself in the local community. Thanks to the generosity of the Rotary scholarship, I spend my weekends at the Copper Coast Parkrun, going to the gym, and playing netball with my team at Bute (who have so graciously welcomed me as an uncoordinated first-timer!). We also joined our fellow students in Port Pirie for the Tarpari Wellbeing Day, where we had loads of fun running an educational stall focused on health promotion. I have felt so welcomed this year – with our lovely neighbours bringing us freshly caught fish for dinner, and the owners of our favourite food truck always greeting us like old friends!

I am so grateful to have applied to study rurally this year, and with the added support of Australian Rotary Health this has quickly become my favourite experience of medical school, and a second home that I would someday love to come back to!