When I become a doctor, I want to be involved in the implementation of programs that will aide my community. Health in Aboriginal culture is complex and is defined by a range of cultural, historical and societal issues, with many barriers in place that do not allow Indigenous populations to access culturally safe and effective care. I believe that having Indigenous health practitioners aiding to create that culturally safe environment will benefit the wider community in living and thriving; not in their past, but in their present and future, and I hope to one day help create the future.

I am now in year 3 and have moved on to completing my clinical years of training at Warrnambool Base Hospital.

This year, I must complete 7 rotations, and during these rotations it is expected that I build upon the foundational knowledge that I have learnt during year 1 and 2 and start to develop my clinical reasoning skills, learn how to be part of a team and how to appropriately interact with patients. I have so far completed medicine, orthopaedic and surgery rotations, and am currently completing my paediatric rotation.

The medicine rotation was a good opportunity to learn about different patient presentations and practice taking patient histories. We had 8-4pm tutorials most days, with a mixture of patient clerking and simulation practice. During orthopaedics, I learned more about how to interpret imaging and different work ups for MSK conditions, as well as post operative considerations after surgery. My favourite rotation so far has been general surgery. I particularly enjoyed watching ENT surgeries and gaining an appreciation for the skills and considerations required from a surgeon in comparison to a physician. Overall, it has been eye-opening to see different specialities at work and understand the complexities that exist within each rotation.

On the home front, my family and I moved down to Warrnambool in December. It’s a nice small community here and it’s close to the beach which we all enjoy very much. We welcomed a new baby in February, which means we now have 3 children 3 and under, so we are kept on our toes!