My name is Talia Cooke, I am a proud Gunnai Kurnai and Gunditjmara woman born and raised in the Latrobe Valley region of Victoria. Since I was young, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. Coming from a blue-collar family with no healthcare workers has proved this adventure to be unpredictable at best. I am extremely proud to say I am entering my fourth year of Medicine at Monash University and have enjoyed every step of the journey.

My first two years of university were completed in the suburbs of Melbourne, I have been fortunate enough to do placement last year and the remainder of this year in the community I grew up in. Currently I am on my GP rotation in my hometown and was supported by faculty to undergo some of my learning at an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

I have a strong interest in community health as well as obstetrics and gynaecology. I hope to continue my studies to become a GPO (General practitioner obstetrician). Being proud of my regional background, I am a passionate advocate for Indigenous health services and regional and rural health and hope to give back to the communities that raised me.

I am committed to contributing to a culturally appropriate workforce by ensuring representation within the health sector. Growing up regionally and not seeing Indigenous people represented in the healthcare workforce has shown how difficult accessibility can be for our mob. I am a firm believer that if healthcare reflects the community we treat, our communities will gain more trust in the system and be more likely to be proactive and take control of their health and wellbeing.

I am also a proud advocate for education to Indigenous students in my community. I have had the pleasure of sharing my story to students at a variety of events and schools. I hope by sharing my adversities and pathways that got me into Medicine will prove to the next generation that just because they don’t see Indigenous doctors, doesn’t mean we can’t be Indigenous doctors. If I can inspire just one student to pursue their own dream of a career in healthcare, I know this has the power to improve Indigenous health. Representation, advocacy, and commitment in our communities can the strength our mobs need to improve the outcomes of our health and wellbeing.

This year I started my final rotations as a medical student before I begin working as an intern (junior doctor) in a hospital! In my first semester I was placed at Bairnsdale Regional Health Service, where I had a great experience in the Emergency Department, Surgical Unit and General Medical Ward.

In my last progression report I explained how on my first ED rotation in 2024 I was very nervous and did not feel very competent in my skills. However, this year I felt like a true part of the team at Bairnsdale. I was excited to get the opportunity to practice taking blood, but ended up learning more than I thought I would have the opportunity to see. In the ED, I was able to see my own patients, make diagnoses and treat patients with the support of my supervisors. Taking bloods and inserting IV cannulas became second nature, and I had the opportunity to learn how to suture, reduce arm fractures and shoulder dislocations (putting broken bones back into the right place) and I even got to diagnose and manage an ankle fracture by myself, including choosing what type of plaster we put on!

During my surgical and general medicine rotations I got to learn more about all the jobs an intern does while working in the hospital. We applied for our intern positions this year and I am very happy that I will be able to return to Bairnsdale in 2027 for my intern year as a junior doctor!

Most recently I completed a rotation on anaesthetics at Central Gippsland Health. I learnt a lot about all the medications doctors use to reduce pain, sedate or paralyse patients for surgeries. I had the opportunity to watch a large variety of different surgical cases, and even had the opportunity to scrub in with the surgeons to assist them in a life-saving bowel surgery. At the start of my rotation, I had asked my supervisor if I would get the chance to learn how to use a LMA,  a type of tube we can use to help patients breathe while they have surgery. Not only did I learn how to place LMA’s with confidence, but I also learned how to intubate patients using a laryngoscope! Anaesthetics also gave me plenty more practice at placing IV cannulas, sometimes up to 15 patients in one day! This rotation has helped me gain more confidence in my skills and medical knowledge. It has certainly helped me feel more ready for internship next year!

Outside of placement I have been very engaged in some medical student committees such as WILDFIRE (Rural and Indigenous Health Club) and The Network, where I have helped run plenty of student events, learning workshops and social nights. I have also continued playing soccer and my team has been undefeated all season!

My next rotation will be a 6 week research project analysing policies for First Nations rural medical workforces – I have always wanted to complete research that focuses on Indigenous health, so I am very excited! Following this, my final rotation will be at an Aged Care Facility in Heyfield, where I am keen to learn more about geriatrics and caring for our elderly population. Towards the end of the year I will have the opportunity to attend the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress (PRiDoC) in Taiwan – a gathering of Indigenous doctors and medical students – I am looking forward to networking and learning more about the research and medical advances within our communities!