Cairns intern named Australia's medical student of the year

Born in Nambour on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, Jasraaj Singh grew up on a macadamia nut farm at nearby Didillibah. While at Nambour State High School, she undertook voluntary work in the paediatrics ward at Nambour Hospital, ultimately sparking her interest in becoming a doctor.

Jas has undertaken all her medical training in rural areas since the second year of her medical degree - including placements in Shepparton, Wangaratta, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Along the way, she has also undertaken additional placements in East Arnhem Land and Cairns, and recently completed an elective placement at Tennant Creek Hospital, to gain further exposure to the provision of medical care in remote, First Nations communities.

She will commence work as a medical intern in Cairns in 2023, following her graduation this year.

Jas said she went into medical school thinking she was going to be a neurosurgeon, but was lucky enough to get some awesome rural experiences in some amazing communities, helping her find her passion in rural medicine.

"My rural medical journey so far has been such a rewarding, eye-opening and exciting adventure - I strongly believe all healthcare students should be undertaking rural placements in some way, shape or form," she said.

"I have had the opportunity to meet incredible and inspiring people, undertake hands-on and practical clinical placements, become part of rural and remote communities across Australia, and develop my clinical and life experiences along the way.

"I love the variety of work offered by rural medicine, as well as the sense of community in rural towns.

"I also love sport, and on my placement in Shepparton, I joined the local rowing club with a fellow medical student, Indira Barrow. To our surprise, we ended up competing in the State Rowing Championships, which was quite a blast.

"I look forward to continuing my rural medical career in Cairns next year and pursuing my interests in rural generalist medicine, public health, paediatrics and critical care.

"I also aim to challenge the common misconception that all the excitement and 'real medicine' happens in the city - because the country is definitely where it's at."

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Ms Singh said a John Flynn Placement that she undertook in Nhulunbuy, East Arnhem Land, in 2020 gave her a deep appreciation for the "incredible skill set" of rural generalist doctors working in remote communities.

"My placement in East Arnhem Land really changed the trajectory of my life," she said.

"I became hooked on rural and remote medicine, and realised that in those settings I got a much deeper understanding of medicine.

"I also realised that a rural medical career will be ideal for me in terms of the broad variety of work it provides, and the easy access it gives you to outdoor pursuits like hiking."

RDAA president Dr Megan Belot said that among many amazing medical students, Ms Singh really stood out to them.

"She has made it her mission to actively seek out additional rural and remote placements, and to truly immerse herself in each of the rural communities in which she has trained."

She has held numerous volunteer roles that help others, including president of her university's rural health club, as well as president of the Surgical Students Society of Melbourne and chair of its Rural Committee.

Dr Belot said those who nominated Ms Singh spoke of her kindhearted nature, her exemplary approach as a medical student, and the fact that she is a fierce ambassador for rural health, as well as for the health of First Nations people, and of marginalised groups both locally and internationally.

Professor Jane Gunn, Dean of the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, also congratulated Ms Singh, saying that having exceptional medical professionals in rural and remote communities was vital.

"I'm delighted to see one of our students actively seek out this career path," she said.