My name is Laura Cauchi, and I am a proud mother to three young boys, a Registered Nurse and dedicated Medical student who has a passion for helping others. Growing up I was blessed enough to be raised in Western Sydney where I was emersed in both the Aboriginal and Maori culture which has given me an ongoing appreciation and respect to the connection family has in the provision of holistic healthcare.

As a Doctor my goal is to relocate to a rural or remote location where I can provide healthcare to communities which need stable and safe healthcare which embodies principles such as cultural safety, kinship, and connection to land. Furthermore, I wish to pursue training as a rural generalist with a special interest in obstetrics and gynaecology services. In addition to this, I would also like to provide culturally safe end of life care to mob which embodies the traditional beliefs and customary practices to take place in a setting which is comfortable and appropriate for the family and individual involved.

I guess you can say my goals are quite diverse, but to close the gap I believe they need to be diverse to ensure nobody is left behind.

Currently, I am in my second semester of second year—for the second time! It has been challenging, not academically, but emotionally. Accepting that my hard work last year— passing exams while navigating our new normal after our car accident—was not enough overall due to not meeting the satisfactory attendance requirements of the degree was difficult.

Following this news, I felt very frustrated. However, I am not one to quit. Instead of returning to repeat second year with anger, I decided to take it in my stride. I have worked hard every single day to build upon the knowledge I previously gained. I have consistently pushed myself to consolidate prior learning and focus on areas that needed improvement. Soon enough, exams came around, and the nerves kicked in. I thought to myself, Can I really do this again? What am I even doing here?
But those doubts lasted only a moment. Before I knew it, I was back on campus, sitting my end-of-semester exams.

When grade release rolled around, I was nervous. I didn’t want to fail—I wanted to make my little ones proud. I remember getting the email that grades were out and feeling an awful knot in my stomach. I took a thousand deep breaths and checked my results. Phew—I passed all three exams! I felt the anxiety melt away and screamed in excitement.  This degree comes with many challenges, and being nine, he understands and observes both the hard moments and the triumphs.

After the initial chaos of grade release, I reflected on my progress this year—both personally and academically. I feel genuinely proud of my resilience and commitment to completing this degree. I’ve come back into one of the most difficult semesters, facing new challenges such as a pregnancy and ongoing therapy for both my son and I as we recover from the brain injuries sustained in the accident.

I know these experiences will make me a better doctor, and they are part of my journey.  Learning to embrace this, rise to the occasion, and succeed is something I will always give myself credit for.