As a qualified medical practitioner and eventually an ophthalmologist, I will be committed to improving Indigenous health and addressing the significant health disparities that exist within Indigenous communities. One of the ways that I plan to contribute to this goal is by becoming an ophthalmologist and using my skills to address the high rates of eye disease that are prevalent in Indigenous populations.

I am particularly interested in researching genetic eye diseases, which disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. By gaining a deeper understanding of the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to these diseases, I hope to be able to treat and help prevent disease.

More specifically, I plan to take my skills to Aboriginal communities in Alice Springs, where I will work closely with Indigenous health workers and community leaders to provide culturally sensitive and appropriate care to Indigenous patients. I am from Alice Springs and it is a place close to my heart I have seen with my own two eyes the health disparity in rural Aboriginal communities. Even though my family ties are from far north Queensland and Thursday Island, the Aboriginal communities I grew up around were in Alice Springs. That is why I want to return one day with ophthalmic skills and gene therapy knowledge to help reduce the disparity of healthcare between those communities and the rest of Australia.

Furthermore, growing up I would watch Fred Hollows foundation ads on tv and would think how amazing it was that he could give sight back to people. Hollows worked tirelessly to improve the eye health of Indigenous Australians and I wish to follow his footsteps.

Overall, my goal as a qualified medical practitioner or health worker will be to use my skills and knowledge to improve the health of Indigenous people, particularly in the area of eye health mainly in Alice Springs. By working closely with Indigenous communities and focusing on culturally appropriate and sensitive care, I believe that I can make a meaningful difference in the lives of many, and in the same stroke, fulfil my career goal.

The second half of year 4 in medicine was one to be proud of. I worked very hard and smarter this semester in preparation for exams. This year, there were no mid-year exams, only a written exam and 12 OSCE stations to get through. In the end, I achieved a result to be proud of, while maintaining healthy work-life balance and emotional stability.

The semester started off with a rotation in psychiatry. I quite enjoyed this, as I got time in both hospital and outpatient settings. It was eye-opening to see people suffering with psychiatric conditions, but it was a good learning opportunity to see it in person and solidify the learning behind the conditions. I learned a lot about medical management and just how much it varies from provider to provider. It is like a dealer’s choice in a lot of cases. The upside is that it can be very tailored to the patient and it benefits from continuity of care. I did not enjoy the home visits though, because they felt unpredictable and often, we were going in with not much information. I received good teaching during this rotation which eventually prepared me well for exams.

The next chapter of the semester was my surgery rotation. This was split up into 2 weeks on orthopedics, 1 week on urology and 1 week on plastic surgery. I was very much so looking forward to this rotation, as I absolutely love surgery. Starting on orthopedics was a high point. I really liked the hands on and practical nature of the surgeries. I was fortunate enough to see a good variety of things, as well as more spine surgeries than anyone would usually get. I saw and or scrubbed into 4 spine surgeries during my time. It is an interest field I have had for a very long time, so being involved in it was a dream come true. I was even invited to Tasmania’s very first scoliosis surgery ever. It was a groundbreaking moment for health care here and it was amazing to be there. This really sparked my interest in orthopedics and I think if I was to specialise in orthopedics down the track that I would focus on hip and spine surgery.

My one week on urology was not very exciting, to be honest. The most exciting surgery I saw was a nephrectomy. It was mostly just prostate biopsies and cystoscopy. The doctors I was with were very nice and willing to teach, so that was a bonus.

ENT was a very good learning week. It prepared me well for exams and I got plenty of teaching, patient time and interesting presentations. The surgeries were good to see, but nothing too complex came up. I did however really enjoy clinics, as they were very helpful in my learning.

Plastic surgery was very interesting and a specialty I wish I had more time in. I got plenty of suture practice and I got to see my own patients in clinic. This was great to help wrap my head around skin cancers and common hand fractures. Theatre was always diverse and interesting. The scope of what plastic surgeons can do is appealing and something I could see myself being interested in. It is very reconstruction focused and I like the problem solving involved.

After these rotations, I had time to plan for exams. Up until this point, my study group had been very diligent in weekly sessions to practice for OSCE’s, so going into the final stretch I didn’t feel behind or rushed. We simply tapered our practice into more exam focused work. It was well planned and honestly the best exam preparation I have done up to date. It really helps to start far out from exams so I can stay calm and reduce anxiety closer to exams. This year I had my last ever written exams. 2 MCQ exams plus OSCEs.

Writing this after having passed my exams I can say that my preparation worked well. I scored in the 70’s for my written exams and passed 11/12 of my OSCE’s. A very comfortable result that I am proud of.   Overall, this year was challenging, enjoyable and good for my development and learning. One step closer to becoming a doctor.