At the beginning of his fourth year he moved to Albury-Wodonga to recommence formal studies and stayed there for the final three years of the degree.

The second half of the degree had a stronger emphasis on practical and clinical learning so the majority of the student’s time including Leigh was spent on the hospital wards, theatres and emergency departments, and in doctor’s private rooms.

Theoretical teaching was provided by local doctors or Sydney specialists who either flew to Albury to teach us face-to-face, or who would teach via a videoconference.

At the end of fourth, fifth and sixth years, we had ‘barrier’ exams which were a combination of written, viva voce (oral) and OSCE (clinical) exams.

Many extra accomplishments:

During the degree Leigh had opportunities to complete placements with rural doctors during his holidays, and did this at Batemans Bay, Narooma, and York (WA). The York placements were a part of the John Flynn Placement Program, Facilitated by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and he returned to work with the same doctor several years in a row, building a strong relationship with the practice staff and local community there.

In Leigh’s third year, he completed a placement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, from their Mt Isa base, servicing North Queensland.

He also got to attend conferences in Mt Isa, Cairns, Alice Springs and Melbourne during the degree.

New Guinea placement:

At the beginning of his final year, Leigh had been given eight weeks to plan his own elective placement anywhere in the world and in any specialty.

He divided his into two four-week placements, and did the first month over Christmas at a remote hospital in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea - Alotau General Hospital, where he worked mainly in Surgery and Trauma and traveled to remote island clinics and assisted in medical retrievals.

Leigh explains, “This was an amazing experience which was very challenging and gave me a chance to develop practical skills in a way that wouldn’t be possible in Australia.

“We also encountered a lot of medical problems we don’t see much of in Australia, like malaria and tuberculosis, and I learnt to overcome challenges like extremely limited resources”.

Leigh did the second month of his elective with a specialist Paediatric Surgeon (Dr Tracey Merriman), who is based in Albury but also services Griffith, Wangaratta, Sheparton and Melbourne.

“The time I spent studying in Albury was one of the most positive periods of my career so far.

“The academic and administration/support staff was incredibly dedicated; the medical, nursing and allied health staff was keen to teach; and the group of 14 students I had in my year there were a very close and supportive group”, Leigh said.

At the end of final year, Leigh came first in the year of 230 students for one of the exams, called the Portfolio Examination, which is based on assessment marks for the final two years of the course, and a reflective essay and leaving portfolio interview with two doctors.

At the end of final year, he was also awarded the “Border Medical Association Scholarship of Merit for Final Year Medicine’”.

Leigh graduated at the Kensington Campus of the University of New South Wales on December 16, with a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery.

He was awarded Honours, based on marks for assessments and exams throughout the degree.

Leigh has commenced working as an Intern at Port Macquarie Base Hospital on January 16, 2012 and has a two-year contract with the hospital there, which will involve rotating through various specialty areas every 10 weeks. He can also complete rotations at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

“I was really looking forward to actually starting work after all these years of study!” commented Leigh.

“I’ve also enrolled in a full-time post-graduate Masters Degree for this year.

“I have a passion for rural and remote health and plan to work in a rural area long-term.

“I am planning to specialise in Surgery or one of the Critical-Care specialties (Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or Anaesthetics), and also have an interest in Aeromedical Retrieval.

“I feel that I would not have been able to gain entry to a medical program, let alone complete the degree without the huge support I have received from my family and the Crookwell Community.

“The local Crookwell doctors have been very encouraging and supportive all the way through, and the teachers at Crookwell High were invaluable during my preparation for entry.

“In particular, my Careers Advisor at the time, Peter Jackson, and Librarian Anne Cleary, both went well and truly above and beyond what should ordinarily be expected of teachers, to give me every possible chance of gaining a place in the degree, and I will always be grateful for their support” Leigh said.