Meet Srishti Chatterji - Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway) student

Doctor of Medicine student Srishti Chatterji is studying and living at the new University of Melbourne teaching and accommodation facilities that opened in Shepparton  on Wednesday 4 May 2022.  Srishti talks about her experience so far and why she chose to study  the Doctor of Medicine, Rural Pathway.

Srishti Chatterji has always wanted to be a rural doctor and is studying Medicine at the University of Melbourne Shepparton campus.

Why did you want to apply for the University of Melbourne’s Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway) program?

I knew I wanted to be a rural doctor because of my own experience. I have grown up in rural locations my whole life and I’ve seen first-hand the inequities that rural locations face to access healthcare.

I chose the Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Melbourne specifically because of the rural pathway that they offer with La Trobe University.

So the idea of guaranteed end-to-end education via Melbourne University to become a doctor really appealed to me.

Finally, studying my degree completely in a rural location was also really comforting and exciting, as I didn’t want to move to the city.

Srishti studying in her room at the new University of Melbourne accommodation facilities in Shepparton.

What has been the highlights of the course so far?

I’ve really enjoyed learning new clinical skills and interacting with patients. After spending so much time learning theory in my undergraduate studies at La Trobe, it’s nice to finally learn hands-on, practical skills to gain clinical experience. All of us pursue our studies in medicine to help people, so it’s fantastic to finally be able to put our knowledge to work in a clinical setting.

Other highlights of the course include the student accommodation and teaching facilities opposite Goulburn Valley Health at the Shepparton campus. It’s enabled me to form really strong bonds with other students from rural settings, while offering a unique lifestyle and learning experience all in the one location.

What advice would you give to other students considering doing the degree?

I would say go for it! It won’t be easy, and sometimes you’ll be pushed far outside of your comfort zone. However, in the end it will all be worthwhile as you’ll be able to help people in rural and regional areas with the best knowledge available today. That is a very exciting prospect to me.

Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway)

To find out more about the Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway ), click below.

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Watch Srishti  talk about the Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway) below!

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Giacinta Caione

giacinta.caione@unimelb.edu.au