The support of the Australian Rotary Health Scholarship will allow me to engage with more than just my clinical studies and aid in fostering a more well-rounded future rural clinician. I believe that as a medical professional working in the future resource limited areas like rural Australia, one requires a critical understanding of the limitations in delivering care but most importantly the skills and aspiration to improve the systems to address these barriers of health care delivery which I believe my engagement with research can in part teach me in doing. I have been involved in several research projects focusing on health systems barriers and evidence-based medicine which I would like to continue pursuing throughout my rural year. I have also led several advocacy campaigns such as for the professional development of medical students and sexual and reproductive rights in Canberra through my co-chair position as part of the Global Health Society. Health and rural health advocacy are a critical skill needed for all rural clinicians as rural health is often overlooked in most strategic plans and policies and often just a commitment to providing one-to-one care is not enough to make a difference to the scope and provision of services in the area. As a long-term medical student, I hope to not only use my lived experience of the system’s shortcomings in my local area but also continue to use my experiences in health advocacy in broader areas of health such as sexual and reproductive health and migration and asylum seeker health to support advocacy collectives and communities in my area. The Rotary’s scholarship will not only offer financial aid but will allow me to connect to and learn from Rotarians in my community who dedicate their time and expertise to make a difference.

Throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate study, I have been involved in numerous volunteering activities, especially through the Australian Red Cross, which have not only allowed easier integration into my community but has allowed me to gain a sense of social responsibility to my community. In my rural week placement, I had the privilege of getting to know the disability social workers at Tulgeen in Bega and the some of the artists from the ‘Art in the Garage’ initiative. I also had the experience to witness how important social work is in rural towns and how the vision to keep individuals doing what they love doing requires a dedicated team of individuals who are willing to give their endless time for their patrons. As a medical student, I realised that in rural and regional towns, we are very lucky if we have social services that can provide individuals an advent to experience a good quality of life and it inspired me to volunteer for some of their activities next year. This scholarship would help me to continue volunteering in my regional community through services like at Tulgeen, Australian Red Cross, and the Rotary Club and engage as an active member of the Bega community next year.

At the end of my third year in Bega, I completed two elective placements: two weeks in anaesthetics at Southeast Regional Hospital (SERH) and three weeks in the emergency department at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. I was eager to explore more acute care with the anaesthetists in Bega, as I wanted to spend more time in theatre and gain hands-on experience in stabilising critically ill patients. I also hoped to learn more from the doctors with whom I had
built a strong rapport throughout the year.

Although my anaesthetic placement was brief, it taught me to be more confident in a variety of skills that I will need to utilise both in my final year of medical school and, especially, as a junior doctor. The skills I have become more confident in range from simple procedural work, such as cannulations, airway management, preparing anaesthetic drugs and equipment, and managing pain in the hospital setting. I had the opportunity to shadow anaesthetists in all settings where they are required to perform tasks in the hospital, including in theatres, outpatient clinics, and on-call visits in the wards. This helped me gain a greater understanding and appreciation of their role in the clinical care team.

During my time in Bega, I learned to appreciate how involved the physicians are with their patients and how they deliver quality care that is on par with care in urban settings. I gained an even greater appreciation for how this might look for patients accessing surgical care. I learned that anaesthetists, unfortunately, have the often-overlooked task of preparing patients for surgery, including conducting pre-operative assessments, explaining surgical procedures that fall outside their clinical expertise, and being with patients throughout their surgical journey, including post operative recovery and pain management.  Anaesthetists also possess a broad knowledge base encompassing both physiology and pharmacology, which is crucial not only in the surgical and acute care settings but also in other areas of medicine, such as toxicology, cardiac care, obstetrics, psychiatric care, and palliative care.

All in all, I gained a greater appreciation for the work that anaesthetists do in the hospital setting, and it has inspired me to pursue work that involves a wide range of skills applicable to many areas of medicine.   My second elective placement was in the paediatric emergency department at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. My primary objective during this elective was to broaden my clinical acumen and build confidence in examining paediatric patients presenting acutely in the emergency setting, an experience I had not encountered much in Bega. My elective term at Bristol Children’s Hospital Emergency Department exceeded my expectations and significantly contributed to my development. It helped me gain confidence in taking a quick and systematic approach to handling paediatric cases, ranging from neonates to teenagers, and gave me first-hand experience in navigating a fast-paced, under-resourced emergency department. I
quickly learned to adapt to a busy environment where resources were often stretched, and time was always of the essence.

As my term progressed, I was able to track patients through the system, take detailed histories, and perform independent examinations before handing over cases to the supervising doctors.  This hands-on responsibility mirrored the role of a junior doctor and deepened my understanding of the day-to-day demands of the profession. I also became involved in administrative tasks, such as handing over patients, writing discharge summaries, and formulating management plans.  Most importantly, I developed the skills necessary to identify and escalate red flags—an ability crucial for any intern. This exposure to the multifaceted role of a junior doctor allowed me to appreciate the importance of a systematic approach to both clinical tasks and patient management, something that will undoubtedly benefit me as I transition into my internship year.

A key part of my elective term involved being assigned to various shifts, including morning, evening, night, and PICU shifts. This offered me a diverse range of experiences in terms of work pace and clinical encounters. I found the night shifts particularly engaging due to the high volume of patients with a variety of presentations, such as feeding difficulties, respiratory issues, and more acute surgical emergencies like testicular torsion or trauma cases. These shifts also gave
me a unique insight into the operational aspects of the emergency department, such as the critical nature of handovers and discharges. I observed how clinicians, often working at full capacity, had to prioritize and triage patients efficiently, making decisions based on the severity of their conditions. These experiences emphasized the importance of clear communication, rapid decision-making, and the need for adaptability in such high-pressure environments.
A recurring theme throughout my placement was the impact of social factors—such as home environment, education, and health literacy—on the management and outcomes of paediatric patients. Many of the children I encountered had preventable repeat visits to the hospital, often linked to social determinants of health. This provided me with valuable insights into the role of preventative care and the importance of patient education in improving health outcomes. What I
found most fulfilling during my elective was the opportunity to have more contact time with patients, particularly follow-ups, which allowed me to explore the bio-psycho-social effects of illness in children in greater depth. It was incredibly rewarding to witness how addressing social and emotional factors could significantly improve a child’s health and well-being.

The clinical practice at Bristol Children’s Hospital was similar to what I had experienced in Australia, allowing me to settle in quickly. However, the healthcare system in the UK felt much faster-paced, especially in comparison to my previous experience at the rural Bega Hospital in Australia. Despite its large catchment area, the emergency department at Bristol Children’s Hospital had only 12 beds, and the staff had limited time to spend with each patient due to the
sheer volume of cases. Conversations with both the medical staff and the patients revealed stark contrasts in their perspectives. Doctors were surprised to hear that I had chosen to spend Christmas in the UK, given the long waiting times for positions in Australia, while patients expressed immense gratitude for the healthcare services provided by the NHS, acknowledging that without it, they would not have access to such high-quality care. This experience deepened
my appreciation for the work-life balance and more manageable working conditions that Australian doctors enjoy.

This year will hopefully be my final year of medical school at the ANU, and I will begin my first clinical rotation in acute care at Canberra Hospital’s Emergency Department. I will also return to SERH for my anaesthetics and ICU term. This year, I am looking forward to prioritising my mental and physical well-being in preparation for entering the workforce next year. I hope to build on what I have learned in medical school, both academically and personally. One key lesson has been that having a life outside of work and university must be a priority, something I am grateful the Rotary scholarship helped enable for me last year.