Why I chose to be a doctor! - Millennial Scholarship Winner Blog

My desire to enter the medical profession comes after deliberation and personal experience which has enabled me to make an informed choice founded upon good judgment as opposed to any fanciful whim offered by a romantic ideal. The fact that there are people who wish to help others in need inspires me to believe that much can be achieved with determination, dedication and a genuine desire to help. A career in the medical profession would allow me to repay that care and attention, not directly but by extension. I firmly believe that “there has to be a better way.” There is no room or requirement in this essay to expound more philosophically upon how to find better ways it is enough to acknowledge that constant improvement is important. Throughout my tertiary education and work I can say that I have become more sensible of and more sensitive to the needs of others.
 
During my schooling my love of art became obvious and I became recognised as an accomplished artist. It was a natural progression for me to enter into a fine arts degree course but at the end of a successful first year I realised that my true path in life lay elsewhere and I enrolled in a psychology degree. As well as an interest in arts I also displayed a penchant for mathematics and science yet it was difficult to continue all these passions. I have never really understood the dichotomy often evident between arts and science. It is an ambition of mine to ally both codes and show ingenuity by devising methods in which art and science can be of value in the holistic treatment of patients.

I am no stranger to adversity. When I was only eleven I witnessed my father die in traumatic circumstances. Although it has left an indelible memory and sense of loss I feel that this experience has taught me that adversity can strengthen. I can also lay claim to a level of resourcefulness as I did the best I could in circumstances that may well have rendered a less resourceful person inactive. The memory of my father remains strong and I use his many strengths as a guide. He was a great believer in social justice and equality and I hope to encourage prospective medical students from all backgrounds. The medical profession needs diversity and I am proud to have started as a fine arts student.
 
I have demonstrated ingenuity in several ways through art and also during my later school years when I suggested that the school debating teams which competed in interschool contests employ a more formal structure. For my initiative I was awarded the inaugural captaincy and was subsequently responsible for revising the structure of the many school teams from years eight to twelve. This demonstrated the peak of my achievements at the time as I had been out of school for many years due to mental health difficulties and had worked so hard to catch up to my peers. Due to a relapse in year 12 I never received an ATAR score but I fought to get into University anyway.
 
My current part time employment as a receptionist in a multidisciplinary child health clinic affords me the opportunity to engage with clients and members of staff which contributes to my development of a greater understanding of health practices. By my own initiative, I have recently completed a traineeship in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Therapy through the same practice while working and studying full time. My work there as a Behavioural Therapist entails working closely and intensely with children on the Autism Spectrum. My work is challenging at times and involves teaching developmental deficits and working with the family to reduce problem behaviour. I manage a case load of clients and see them weekly for home-based behaviour therapy. I decided long back when I started my Visual Arts degree that I wanted to work with kids therapeutically. I moved to psychology to assist with this goal and now want to take this interest further and develop further knowledge in all aspects of health so I can provide whole person care.
 
My ambition is to one day complete advance training in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry and Consult-Liaison Psychiatry so I can continue my work in this direction and help children overcome physical and mental health difficulties with all the latest that science and art has to offer. I have a particular fascination with the mind-body connection and hope to pioneer research in the area of pediatric psychosomatic medicine. The effect of childhood trauma is long lasting and often has physical co-morbid consequences. However, I want to work with my patients to ensure they live a full life and never give up on achieving their dreams. I aim to reduce the stigma of mental health as well as medication for children. I believe all aspects of mental health care is a highly individual process and I want to be able to offer all the options available.