In the right place? 

A lot of my colleagues have always wanted to do medicine, but I haven’t found it so simple. Some placements I have low-key spent hours staring at the clock waiting for time to pass but then on others I have fallen in love with the specialty and wanted to be there forever, not even noticing the 12-hour days. It was hard to keep momentum in third year with 3.5-hour round trip commutes each day (if you make the train on time) and personal stuff to deal with outside of uni. But as with everything, it passes. 

And eventually you end up on a placement where you know that you’re in the right place and doing the right thing, where you find it interesting and don’t mind how much time you’re spending. There’s nothing quite like finding an area where your skills click, you are making an impact, and you just feel like you’re in the right place. After all these years, with four out of the five years having no idea where I wanted to go with my career, I am finally finishing the degree feeling like I’m in the right place. And although things definitely did not pan out how I had anticipated, I have learned to go with the flow and have found a pathway I would love to pursue. 

One of the parts of medicine that I’ve found the hardest to deal with was the feeling of not being in charge of my own destiny. Particularly coming to terms with the fact that you can be sent, at the mercy of computer systems and algorithms, to anywhere in the state for placement and work irrespective of the life you have built or your aspirations. That you get what you’re given and you can’t really ask questions. It’s just the way the system works. It makes it hard to feel settled when you move around so much. Not knowing if next year you’ll still be in the same state, or if next month you’ll be in the same city, makes it hard to plan for the future and plant roots. Fortunately I have been able to work online which has made it easier financially but, after all this moving and travel over the years, there is a big part of me which is ready to put some roots down. But I’m fairly sure that security won’t come for a while. 

With the power of retrospection, looking back over the time as a whole, it’s crazy to think just how much we have all learnt. Not just the textbook stuff, but being privileged enough to learn first-hand how to help others when it’s needed most, how to be effective in teams, and to have the opportunity to learn an array of great (albeit sometimes kind of gross) skills. And I am really grateful to have made it through thus far. 

Adventures 

And as you’ve probably noticed if you’re reading this website in the first place, these past few years have been a whirlwind outside of the degree, too. From the first year at uni, I knew pretty quickly that I needed to have a hobby outside of studying to keep sane. Having spent my time pre-uni wanting to be creative writer or in law, the non-scientific part of my brain needed some air time and it was happy to be dusted off here. Starting Travel Textbook to document various adventures through travel and life has been a really fun outlet and a chance to learn a lot of new skills. It has taken me to destinations, pushed me into experiences that I had not expected, and provided some colourful experiences which have enriched my early 20s (and provided some good party stories). 

Since walking through the not-so-aesthetic doors of the med school building for the first time, I’ve set foot in 26 countries, gone to two international conferences, written 116 travel blog posts, worked for some phenomenal companies, and fallen in love with London life on medical elective. In these years, I overcame my intense fear of solo travelling and am writing this article about to board a flight for a five week solo trip around Mexico (much to the concern of my nearest and dearest). I have become aware of my limitations yet more inspired than ever to push myself to have vibrant (but safe – don’t worry, parents) experiences and follow what I love, even if it’s not the traditional option. 

Starting the new chapter 

It has been a real privilege to have these experiences and be let into the lives and stories of so many people over these five  years. It has been a humbling half decade and a time which has made me appreciate the strength that people are capable of and the importance of living life to the fullest. And although it’s the most cliché utterance yet, I honestly do feel like a completely different person. I used to really struggle doing things by myself, so if you showed 18-year-old Lucy that she would’ve moved cities, graduated, started a business, overcome a fear of blood and needles (seriously — did this not seem like a problem when signing up for med?), and solo travelled in twelve countries, she wouldn’t have believed you. 

And although I feel proud of what I have achieved on my ownsome, it takes a village to get through this course. Always having the support of my wonderful family and a beautiful Tasmanian haven to return to when things got rough has been a godsend. Being surrounded by great groups of med and non-med friends who were willing to help with study and de-stressing after study were also a life-saver. Being surrounded by supportive people is really under-valued, and having caring hospital teams, flexible employment, and a team of friends and family by your side make the years a heck of a lot easier. 

Next year the work really starts. No doubt there will be incredibly tough days and the adulting will certainly be in full swing. With a new job, new network, new home, and not having to budget so hard, it’ll be a lot of fresh changes. But I can’t wait to get started on this new chapter and see what comes next.