Reflecting on your journey, are there any lessons you’ve learned that you’d like to share with our Hills Originals?
As someone who has started, stopped and changed potential career paths a few times, I can say with certainty there is nothing wrong with changing your mind and taking your time to figure out who you are and what you want to do. Often there is stress associated with finishing high school, and family/peers ask, “What are you going to do next year?”. You are afraid to commit, to potentially fail and you don’t want to make the wrong choice. I personally commenced a double degree in Business Administration, then pivoted and quit after six months in a full-fledged panic informing my parents “This isn’t what I want to do”. I ended up having a great 6 months off, working part-time (now one of the most memorable achievements of my life, Paint Expert at Bunnings Warehouse) and travelling internationally which was just what I needed after a huge year in Year 12.
I subsequently returned to Australia and completed an Applied Science Degree (Exercise and Sports Science) because a friend was doing it. The degree sounded interesting, and I liked sports, and I liked health (even though I only took English and History subjects in Year 12- go figure). At the completion of the degree, I again had the question “Where to next?” Not quite ready to enter the workforce, I decided further university life was just the thing.
The shotgun approach I employed to applications meant I applied to a myriad of health-based postgraduate courses which I was fortunately able to choose from. These opportunities boiled down to Physiotherapy based in Sydney and somehow Medicine, but that degree was in Western Australia.
At 21 years of age, I thought long and hard about moving interstate, with no family or friends there. I decided to give it a go cause if I hated it, I could always quit and return! Turns out it was an awesome life decision. Perth is an amazing place! I have been working as a doctor now for a few years in both Western Australia and New South Wales as well as enjoying opportunities where they crop up (such as rural stints and filling in for team sports whenever I can).
I have stood by the mantra – “say yes to opportunities” since school and this has meant that not only did, I play European Handball for NSW and WA but also for the Australian Team. However, I was also part of the drama club, the debating team, the netball team, and touch football teams (and a myriad of others- shoutout to my amazing parents for driving me around). This journey is ongoing and even to this day, I am still not sure what I want to do for the rest of my life. The benefit is that there is no wrong choice and by taking the time to enjoy the journey, the windy path is what will be the most memorable with opportunities opening along the way.
I now live with my family (partner and 6-month-old baby) and again am looking at the next steps what medical specialty to do; which state should we live in; and what should we have for dinner. I know that regardless of what I choose, it won’t be wrong, it will just be a new path for me, and I’ll enjoy it every step of the way.
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