Molly – Cutting-edge Medicine at GOSH & MCH

As someone with a keen interest in paediatrics, I chose to split my time during my seven-week elective placement between Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London and the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne.

The first few weeks at GOSH allowed me to see cutting-edge medicine right on my doorstep in a location that has so much to offer. During the day, I watched doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals work as a team to provide excellent care to patients and their families. I spent the evenings with family and friends, whilst preparing for my Australian adventure. Having never travelled on my own before, this trip represented an enormous (but exciting) challenge.

After a very long journey, I settled into Melbourne life pretty quickly. The hospital itself gave me a fascinating insight into the similarities and differences between the British and Australian healthcare systems. I worked in adolescent medicine, a specialty which isn’t yet fully established in the UK, but one I grew to love. Meanwhile, I made the most of evenings and weekends, often meeting up with fellow elective students. We explored countless restaurants and museums, travelled along the Great Ocean Road and even attended the opening night of the Melbourne Film Festival! I returned feeling more knowledgeable about my future career and excited at the prospect of future opportunities to travel.

My elective provided me with a huge amount both personally and academically, and I am incredibly grateful to Emma and the University for supporting me.

The students' elective placements take place before their final year of study, and are funded with the help of funds from Emmanuel.