My people are Galari clan, on Wiradjuri Country. I grew up in Condobolin, NSW, and my father, a white stockman/shearer has a small hobby farm on the Garli Bila (the Lachlan River), my mother is a Tafe teacher of Aboriginal Studies. I have two brothers; I am the middle child and grew up very typically for any other country kid, playing netball, pony club, and cricket. It is through growing up in a small rural town that I witnessed firsthand the unjust realities of what it is like to grow up in the bush.

Educational and health outcomes are statistically lower in rural and remote communities and as an Indigenous person, it is statistically more likely for me to go to gaol than it is for me to go to university. Furthermore, these early experiences of living in a rural, mostly Indigenous populated community shaped my understanding of healthcare inequities and ignited my passion to close the gap.

Whilst I did begin my career in education, my personal connection and ongoing experiences have driven me to begin a career in medicine to improve Indigenous health outcomes. .

As a qualified health practitioner improving Indigenous health care would be a top priority of mine. I believe strongly about strategies that would be culturally appropriate and inclusive to Indigenous communities and some of these would include:

• Preventative and regular health care screening.
• Advocating for more services and multidisciplinary services that can address specific needs of individual communities, specifically in rural and remote communities.
• Supporting Indigenous workers within the health care system, as racism is still quite common in the workplace.
• Collaborating with community members and listening to stories. Including Indigenous community members in decision making also assists health autonomy.
• Education about preventative care for common illnesses to improve health literacy, this would also assist in eliminating barriers of ‘shame’ about certain illnesses. Outreach programs are a fantastic way to do this.

It is important for medical practitioners to have clear, respectful and culturally sensitive communication within Indigenous communities, and since doctors are always given so much trust, it is paramount that that trust is always held onto and protected, especially when considering the history of this country. I think research and evidence-based practice, pushing for policy change as well as supporting and listening to traditional healing practices is a fantastic way to advocate for Indigenous health outcomes to change.

I am currently studying medicine at the Dubbo Campus of Sydney University, or, otherwise known as the Sydney School of Rural Health. The School of Rural Health is aimed towards encouraging more doctors to come out to the bush to practice medicine and specialises in rural and Indigenous health. I chose this university and more specifically, campus, to study at as I felt that it would be the most supportive, wanted to stay on Country whilst I studied, and liked how much clinical experience is offered here.

I am lucky enough to live on campus, which means I am less than a 50-meter walk to lectures and tutorials. The hospital is also only a 2 minutes’ walk from campus which also makes clinical classes easier to get to. SRH also has a small garden I can pick vegetables and herbs from, a BBQ area we sometimes use for post exam BBQs, and a fire pit, which is great for other celebrations like Reconciliation Week. Unlike my other experiences on large campuses, most staff members and students know each other by first name here, and there is a social community that proves to be inclusive and regularly creates social functions that allows students to integrate smoothly into the wider Dubbo community. I am grateful for all these aspects, and the harmony it creates whilst I study.

However, in the last 6 months studying medicine, I have, metaphorically, been in the trenches. I have quickly learnt my approach to study for my undergrad and master’s degree was not going to cut it in a science degree like medicine, and it has certainly put every skill and knowledge of learning I have to the test. In the past I have also read a lot of books on growth mindset for my students, (I come from a teaching background), and now I find myself employing those strategies as well. Medicine has proved to not only be a degree with heavy content, which of course I expected, but it has also began reshaping my character and certainly taught me some grace and humility.

It has almost been 7 years since I last studied full time before this, and the content matter was a widely different subject/topics; histories and literature and now science and medicine. Therefore, I have reorganised my timetable, my personal schedule and changed a lot of study techniques throughout the year so far. A positive I have noticed however, is that whilst, I tend to struggle a little with the science content of medicine, my prior background and lived experiences has at least given me an edge when it comes to communication with patients and clinical decision making, and when I feel overwhelmed with subject material I often remind myself of this to get through until the next week.

Thankfully, I have found a supportive group of friends in my cohort, and due to the nature of this degree, we have bonded immensely. In my prior degrees I struggled to even meet people in the same majors and minors as myself, however here in medicine, we study together, eat together, exercise together, cry together, make mistakes together and on the odd Friday night, also watch chick flicks and wear facemasks together with a side of ice cream and milo for a little RNR, (rest and relaxation).

Overall, there has been a lot more tears than laughs this year, and even though I am somewhat improving my exam results with steady progress, I feel like I can push myself to do more and do better yet. In the dark moments when I am alone in a library, and it is 10pm on a random Wednesday night, the choices that have led me here feel overwhelming, but when I think of my people, and the bigger picture of what I am doing, I am grateful that I am pushed and challenged as much as I am, because I really think it’ll make me a better clinician, and my future patients deserve that.  So, in the wise words of Dory from Finding Nemo, I’m going to ‘just keep swimming’.