FutureFocus 2024

Dr Dinesh Palipana overcame a challenging journey to pursue his passion

Not even an horrific car accident could stop Dr Dinesh Palipana from pursuing his passion for medicine, but it has been a challenging journey.

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Future Focus: Sunjuri Sun

Sunjuri Sun, a fourth year medical student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2017. Read about her overseas placement in Kathmandu, Nepal.

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Future Focus: Jameson Trainor

Jameson Trainor, a second year medical student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2019. Read about his overseas placement in Ghizo, Solomon Islands.

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Future Focus: Riashad Monjur

Riashad Monjur, a third year medical student, from the University of Newcastle was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2018. Read about his overseas placement in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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Future Focus: Masoud Nasir

Masoud ‘Mass’ Nasir, a final year dental student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2017. Read about his overseas placement in Latouka, Fiji.

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Future Focus: Hamish Newman

Hamish Newman, a third year medical student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2019. Read about his overseas placement in Nepal

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Future Focus: Sidonie Matthew

Sidonie Matthew, a fourth year medical student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2019. Read about her overseas placement in Ethiopia

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Future Focus: Richard Huynh

Richard Huynh, a third year dental student, from the University of Queensland was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2018. Read about his overseas placement in Vietnam.

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Financial help at the end of your dental degree

Final-year dentistry student Nathaniel Nowicki has a multi-layered relationship with BOQ Specialist that has only become more valuable as he nears graduation and a new career.

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Future Focus: Cassandra Collyer

Third year medical student from the University of Western Australia, Cassandra Collyer, undertook her overseas placement working at St Augustine's Hospital in a remote, rural area of North-Eastern Tanzania.

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Future Focus: Brenton Wilson

Brenton Wilson, a final year dental student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2019. Read about his overseas placement in Malaita, Solomon Islands.

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Future Focus: Jessica Cusumano

Jessica Cusumano, a final year medical student, was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2019. Read about her overseas placement in Panama.

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Future Focus: Caroline Lee

Fifth-year UNSW medical student Caroline Lee was one of our FutureFocus recipients in 2018 and travelled to Myanmar to undertake a placement with Medical Action Myanmar

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Future Focus: Tessa Jensen

Fifth-year dental student from University of Adelaide, Tessa Jensen, was a recpient of our FutureFocus grant in 2018 and travelled to Nepal for her voluntary placement, working at Manipal Teaching Hospital.

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Future Focus: Diana Hancock

Diana Hancock, a second year medical student from Flinders University in Adelaide, was one of the five recipients of our FutureFocus grant for 2017. Read all about Diana's experience in Uganda.

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Future Focus: Ellen Hersee Cray

Ellen Hersee Cray, a 2021 graduate of Notre Dame University, Sydney was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2021. Read about her elective experience here.

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Future Focus: Mitchell Gordon

Mitchell Gordon was a recipient of our FutureFocus grant for 2021 and secured his elective through Peninsula Health in the Home Unit at Frankston Hospital in Victoria. Read about his elective experience here.

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Future Focus: Emily Hutchinson

Emily Hutchinson is in her final year of medical studies at Curtin University, Western Australia, and arranged the second of two elective placements within sexual health clinics.

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Future Focus: Emily Hutchinson

Emily Hutchinson is in her final year of medical studies at Curtin University, Western Australia, and arranged the first of two elective placements at the Jandakot base with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Read about her elective experience here.

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Future Focus: Amy Healey

Amy Healey, a final year student at The University of New South Wales, secured a four-week elective with the neonatal intensive care team at The Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney. Read about her elective experience here.

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Future Focus: Emily Blackburn

Emily Blackburn, final year dental student at The University of Sydney, was able to secure a two week Acute Care elective placement with the Emergency Dental Department at Westmead Centre of Oral Health. Read about her elective experience here.

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Future Focus: Lauren Zawal

Lauren Zawal , a final year student at The University of Newcastle, secured an elective with Smith Street Practice in Tamworth, where there was a focus on increasing access of bone densitometry to rural populations.

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Future Focus: Nitika Govind

Nitika Govind, a final year student at Bond University on the Gold Coast, travelled to Fiji to complete her elective at Sigatoka Sub-Divisional Hospital. There she had the opportunity to encounter a variety of experiences and deepen her understanding of the importance of equitable healthcare.

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Future Focus: Aidan Jackson

Aidan Jackson, final year medical student at the University of Melbourne, undertook his elective with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Western Ops, Port Hedland Base. Aidan had the opportunity to study and practise essential clinical skills during this elective, as well as assist in stabilising and transporting patients throughout the state, all while flying over the breathtaking Australian outback.

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Future Focus: John Awad

John Awad, a final year medical student at James Cook University, Townsville, recently completed two electives at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) in Melbourne, and the Wesley Private Hospital in Brisbane. These electives provided John with exposure to the different health systems between states, as well as highlighting the differences between public and private hospitals in Australia.

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Future Focus: Indira Barrow

Our first FutureFocus 2022 recipient to return from her elective is Indira Barrow, final year medical student at the University of Melbourne. Indira experienced life as a rural doctor as she completed her elective at Tennant Creek Hospital (THC) Emergency Department, and had the opportunity to travel with paramedics to patients in need of medical attention.

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Future Focus: Saleha Khan

Saleha Khan, final year medical student at Bond University travelled to Gujarat, India to undertake her 4 week elective at Deesa Ghandi Lincoln Hospital. Saleha encountered a variety of situations while working in the hospital as well as when she accompanied the mobile remote clinic as it visited rural villages to deliver healthcare to those with limited access to resources.

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Future Focus: Samuel Sebastian

Final year student at the University of Newcastle, Samuel Sebastian, secured a hybrid elective gaining experience through CIFAL the United Nation’s Institute for Training and Research, in Newcastle, Australia and Madrid, Spain.

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Future Focus: Riorden O'Shea

Final year medical student at the University of Western Australia, Riorden O’Shea, travelled to Vietnam to complete his elective in the Emergency Department of the University Medical Centre. Travelling to Ho Chi Minh City, a very densely populated city of over 9 million people, Riorden saw firsthand the stark contrast between the health care systems in Vietnam and Australia and the potentially harmful consequences of relying solely on traditional medicine.

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Future Focus: Paris Kerrison

Paris Kerrison, final year medical student at the University of Tasmania, has returned from her unique elective with the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS). During her elective with RFDS in Port Augusta, Paris took part in clinical and retrieval flights, ultimately solidifying her desire to become a Royal Flying Doctor.

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Future Focus: Gracie Hay

Notre Dame Sydney medical graduate, Gracie Hay, recently returned from her elective in Tanzania, Africa where she worked alongside doctors and medical staff from all over the world. From vaccination clinics to delivering babies, Gracie’s eyes were opened to the challenges of providing access to healthcare in remote regions in resource deplete settings during her elective at the Haydom Lutheran Hospital.

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Future Focus: Kyle Green

As a final year medical student from the University of New South Wales, Kyle Green had an eye opening elective at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Uganda. Throughout his elective, Kyle was exposed to a variety of medical presentations and saw firsthand how various societal and cultural contexts influence how healthcare is provided.

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Future Focus: Elizabeth Johnson

Final year medical student from University of Adelaide, Elizabeth Johnson, has returned from her elective in Nepal, after experiencing a melange of exposures and emotions. During Elizabeth’s elective at Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital (SMAH) she gained an invaluable perspective of the health system in Nepal amongst the organised chaos.

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Future Focus:Lucy Brown

Final year medical student at the University of Adelaide, Lucy Brown, has returned from Fiji, where she completed her elective. Packing her bags with medical supplies to donate, Lucy worked alongside the Loloma Foundation on Taveuni Island, Fiji and was exposed to a range of surgical procedures including assisting with an emergency caesarean section.

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Future Focus: Long Nguyen

Long Nguyen, a penultimate medical student at the University of Melbourne, recently concluded his elective at Ballarat Base Hospital. Throughout his time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Long experienced both the highs and lows of medical care. This elective proved to be enriching and eye-opening for him, solidifying his aspiration to pursue a career in Intensive Care in the future.

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Future Focus: Jumpei Takeuchi

Medical student, Jumpei Takeuchi from UNSW has recently completed his elective. Throughout his time at St. Augustine's Hospital, located in the Muheza district of Tanzania, Jumpei encountered various healthcare challenges. Despite the difficulties, he describes his elective experience as profoundly insightful and life-altering

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Future Focus: Aili Cato

Aili Cato, a final-year medical student at Macquarie University, has recently concluded her elective in Palm Island (Bwgcolman). Delving into a deep understanding of the local community and acknowledging the profound impact of historical factors on their current health status, Aili actively encountered the challenges confronted by the island's sole healthcare facility.

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Future Focus: Mirai Anfield

Mirai Anfield recently completed her elective in Mexico, a transformative experience preceding her final year of medical studies at Griffith University. Travelling to Tijuana, Mexico, Mirai encountered a challenging social environment that tested her inner strength. Despite initial apprehensions, her determination to help the local community propelled her forward. Through perseverance and courage, Mirai embraced the opportunity, emerging from the experience with invaluable insights and personal growth.

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Future Focus: Rachel Barlow

Having fully immersed herself in the vibrant local culture, Rachel Barlow, a final-year medical student at the University of Newcastle, has recently returned from her elective in Tanzania. Spending her time experiencing some of the medical specialities in Mount Meru Hospital, Rachel gained invaluable insights and hands-on experience. Witnessing firsthand the resourcefulness and unwavering dedication of the local healthcare providers.

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Future Focus: Lachlan Piper

Before commencing his final year of medical studies at the University of Sydney, Lachlan Piper sought out an elective opportunity in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Arming himself with proficiency in the local language, Lachlan seamlessly integrated into the vibrant culture, enabling profound conversations with his patients and a deeper understanding of their needs.

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Future Focus: Jacky Jiang

Jacky Jiang, medical student at UNSW, has recently completed an eye-opening four-week elective in Kathmandu, Nepal. Conducting his four-week elective at the B.P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies in Kathmandu, Jacky was able to observe a wide variety of eye surgeries, examine patients and learn about unique eye pathologies prevalent in Nepal.

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Future Focus: Kara Harris

Final year medical student Kara Harris, who recently completed her elective in Galle, Sri Lanka, returns with a newfound perspective on the intersection of socio-political dynamics and healthcare. With a passion for women’s health, Kara embarked on a four-week elective in the obstetrics and gynaecology department. Immersed in the local community, she witnessed first-hand the profound impact of socio-political dynamics on health outcomes. Through this experience, Kara gained invaluable insights into the intricate complexities of addressing healthcare disparities.

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Future Focus: Eric Smith

Eric Smith, a final-year medical student at James Cook University, has recently returned from a transformative elective in Nepal. During his time at a local hospital in Benapa, Eric was immersed in an awe-inspiring four weeks. From observing the inner workings of a developing health system to witnessing firsthand the remarkable efforts of healthcare professionals on the other side of the world, Eric's experience left a lasting impression on him.

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FutureFocus 2024