Josh’s journey at St Columba started in 2001. Entering as a young and impressionable Year 6 student, he was lucky to find many wonderful friends in the first few days. As Josh recalls, “These friends, along with my family and (very importantly) my teachers helped mould and teach me valuable life lessons during school. I loved engaging with the school community, endeavouring to be involved as much as possible. There are too many highlights to count throughout the years at St Columba. Captaining the George team with one of my best friends to second place in the 2006 Sports Day (I’ll never live down my rivalry with the Faulkner team), singing and acting in the school productions such as Oliver and Beauty and the Beast, and representing the student body as Head Prefect in 2007 are some notable events I’ll cherish for years to come. In fact, it is these experiences that developed my communication skills and confidence that help drive me forward through university life.”
Josh is currently completing his second year of study of the Bachelor of Medicine program at the University of Adelaide, which had been his goal for many years of his schooling life. “The journey to this was not an easy one. The biggest hurdle was a specific test (called the UMAT) that must be passed to be offered a position in Medicine. Although St Columba equipped me well and offered me a genuine opportunity to achieve a high TER, I was really challenged by this test. I was confident in my abilities, but was naïve - I did not truly understand the challenge before me. One month before my final exams I received a letter stating I would not be offered a place in 2008. This was followed by many more letters containing similar news from every other University in Australia.
“This was a heavy blow to my confidence, especially leading into my exams. No matter what I did, no matter how high my score, I would not be able to achieve my goal. Dealing with this harsh reality took some time, but I decided that this news should not affect my final result. I used this as a source of motivation. For the next few months my motto was something along the lines of ‘Reject me? I’ll show them!’ I worked hard and was very happy with my result, and fortunate to achieve DUX of the year. I was offered a place in the Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide, my second preference and my other road to Medicine.”
Josh believes that his experiences in Year 12 really prepared him for the life challenges he was about to encounter. “Year 12 develops your character and for those who pursue further education, sets your study habits for life. University life draws you in as a school leaver, and the fruits of your efforts during school come to fruition. 2008 was a year of change for me. Meeting new friends with similar goals, again I strove to transfer into Medicine. Better prepared for the UMAT test, I tried once more… and was again not good enough to qualify. Again, the news was sad, and in 2009 I had almost given up attempting to transfer. However, after a lot of thinking I decided to give it one last try. But unlike the previous two times, this time I qualified for an interview. After three years of trying, in December 2009 I was offered a place in the Medical program, and have loved it ever since.
“Studying Medicine is a challenge, and takes away the majority of my week. However, with my previous two year’s experience studying in Health Sciences I was able to transition over comfortably with a solid knowledge base of the basics. We practise once a week our clinical skills with “actors” on whom we perform a variety of examinations. Next year you might even see me in Lyell McEwin Hospital! (well, hopefully not...) In the years to come (after what seems like an endless amount of study), I hope to become a Paediatrician. I’ve always had a good rapport with children, and hope to use these skills to help sick kids and their families.
Currently Josh is involved in the Adelaide Medical Student Society, having recently been elected as Junior Education Representative for the society. “This involves working with other members and meeting with the leading professors and teachers running the Medical program, aiming to improve the education delivered to the students. I haven’t neglected my love for the stage either, performing in the 2010 and 2011 MedRevues. These musicals parody the lives of Med students and doctors. My first role was performing as a surgical robot, my second as young Simba in a cleverly titled ‘Hakuna-ma-doctor’ play. Other than that I’m working as a swimming instructor each Saturday as well as lifeguarding occasionally.
“As I mentioned before, I really relished the opportunity to be involved with the community aspects of St Columba. Something that I’ve carried forward into my university life is the knowledge that getting involved and engaging with my peers through many social and educational events is very rewarding. It is a brilliant way to make close friends and add to the colour of university life in general. Engaging with my teachers and seeking help when needed has also been a valuable lesson that has been very useful at university. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Two friends and I were fortunate enough to be explained a key concept by a kind lecturer the day before an exam, which then appeared as a question. It just goes to show that no one wants to see you fail, and help is never too far away.
“It is okay to not succeed, or fail to meet your own expectations. You’re all young! An extra one, two or even three years to reach your goal is nothing in the big picture. If you are determined to achieve something, I encourage you to research it as much as possible to give yourself the best opportunity to obtain it. When things do not go your way, there are always many avenues to reach it. Don’t lose sight!”
|