Medical Program student profiles
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| Briana Thomas | Lynn Lusambili | Steve McGrath |
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| Sara Wahlroos | Lee-Juan Chiang | Lucian Roseverne |
Briana moved from Melbourne where she worked as a physiotherapist, to undertake medicine at the University of Sydney. She worked for a year after her first degree, and in that year sat the GAMSAT. Brie has found that being a physiotherapist really complements her study and studying medicine is helping in her part-time work as a physiotherapist.
"The University of Sydney Medical Program course starts at the beginning, to cater for the students’ varying levels of medical exposure and understanding. Don’t be too concerned about your knowledge base – it all pans out. Everyone comes from different fields. The Problem-Based Learning format means you get to benefit from everyone else’s experience and background.
"The best thing is the motivation of the students. Everyone in the course wants to be here. We’ve all worked really hard to get here, and for us, studying medicine is a choice. It’s not like an automatic process of getting because you have the right marks."
Brie likes the way first year medical students are in the hospital environment from the very start of the course. The clinical tutors are very supportive and willing to teach, which makes for a great learning environment.
Brie has a particular interest in surgery and transplant medicine but is finding every specialty fascinating.
Lynn worked in Switzerland for a year, after completing her biomedical science degree with honours at the University of Adelaide and University of Sydney. She then prepared for GAMSAT and MCAT by doing a preparation course. Coming from Kenya originally, Lynn is an international student. She chose Sydney because of its international reputation.
"I’m really enjoying it – everything is going great! I like the way Sydney takes graduates from many varied degrees. Everyone brings along their different point of view, which makes the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) groups excellent. In PBLs, you get to learn a lot more than just what’s in the textbooks. The PBLs are broad in variety of content, while focused on the topic of the week. You get to cover a lot more than you’d think.
"The graduate-entry system works well. Having already done a degree, you’re more able to handle the whole process. You’re not going into it half-heartedly. You really focus, because this is the field you want to work in.
"With each new system we study, I think to myself that I’d love to do this as a specialty. I especially like surgery, respiratory medicine, infectious diseases and haematology, who knows what I will chose to do in the end."
Lynn’s advice is simple.
"If you really want to do medicine, go for it. It’s not easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy."
Originally from New Zealand, Stephen completed his first degree in Dunedin, where he studied neuroscience, Asian studies and philosophy. He found out about the University of Sydney Medical Program through a friend already in the course.
Working as an orderly in a Dunedin hospital has made Steve very comfortable with the hospital environment, before even stepping inside one as a medical student.
"I chose to do half my clinical placements in rural NSW. There’s so much value in the city and the country and to have the best of both worlds is great. In the bush there’s more room for you to use your own initiative and you can do so much more. You can be given more responsibility than in the city. If you make the effort, you really reap the benefits.
"Part of my time has been at Broken Hill – it’s so arid and dry, like being on Mars! Being in a small community, I quickly made a lot of friends outside of my usual medical circles. I’ve been able to experience what the outback is like, and have learnt much more about Australian and Aboriginal culture. Everyone is very friendly – the surgeons even invited me into their homes for a meal and movie.
"As a graduate student, you have at least three years life experience after high school. You make an informed decision to enter medicine and you are more mature as a person and have a better idea of what you want to do. It makes you a better student."
Sara comes from Stockholm and is one of Sydney’s international students. She lived in Russia for a year and then moved to Adelaide to complete her Science degree, majoring in pharmacology. Sara then went on to do honours in obesity and gastric-banding.
"I chose Sydney because it’s the best, especially for international students looking at working back in their home country. No matter where I go in the world, they’ll know the University of Sydney.
"It’s such a great campus – it’s huge and green and there are places everywhere to relax and chill-out. Living here is great - I love it. I live in Randwick, 15 minutes walk from the beach.
"I really like the Problem-Based Learning style (PBL). We learn why we have to know the lecture content. It puts everything into context, making you remember it. We share the learning topics around, then come back and explain what we’ve learnt. And having the lectures online is great. I wouldn’t be able to work otherwise. I currently have a job as a research assistant at an obesity/weight loss clinic, so I listen to the lectures after work. I have the added benefit of being able to stop and start the lecture whenever I want; going over the phrases I miss the first time."
Sarah like most students, likes the hospital days the best.
"Our hospital day helps balance the week with our other textbook study and lectures. It helps everything make sense – it puts it into perspective. It’s hands-on, and makes learning fun and you get the ‘reward’ of working with people straight away. Being able to do medicine is such a wonderful opportunity!"
Lee-Juan is from Kuala Lumpur. His undergraduate degree was a Bachelor of Science, majoring in occupational and environmental health. Lee-Juan then worked in a variety of positions for two years before coming to Sydney to study Medicine.
"I heard of the graduate-entry medical program model when I was still at high school, at first I thought of studying in Russia or India but chose Sydney because it is a widely-recognized university.
"Currently I’m in 4th year; I am in hospital from 8am till 6pm, but really enjoying the surgical rotation and seeing lots of interesting operations in theatre. I love that the program is only four years, the on-line resources are excellent especially the library access and the problem-based learning approach really teaches you to think critically, to share ideas and to work the problem through. The self-directed learning works for me, I don’t like spoon-feeding.
"I have decided to do honours in a cardiology project. I am leaning towards specialising in cardiology or emergency medicine."
And Lee-Juan’s advice?
"Be sure, be committed if you are going to do Medicine, it’s tough but worth it."
Lucian is an Arts graduate who did a double major in history and government public administration. He did his honours in history then completed a short computing course.
Coming from a non-science background Lucian prepared for the GAMSAT exam by reading 1st yr science textbooks. He also completed two summer school courses – physics and chemistry.
"I actually like exams so I found GAMSAT fun but I am sure not everyone would feel the same way – it's challenging but you can do it.
"Clinical days are so practical, and you can immediately put into practice what you’ve learnt in lectures. You get to see patients every week, which reinforces why you chose medicine as a career.
"The learning process is similar for all degrees; you just need to sit down and do the study. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it. Give yourself time to relax into the course. You work out pretty quickly what’s the best way of studying for you.
"There are so many different areas to specialise in… you can be sure that whatever the case of the week is, that’s what I’ll want to specialise in. I really like x-rays, so maybe radiology. We’ll see!"