“It is really in your heart that will make the difference of whether you are a good doctor or not a good doctor” was the message Dr Peter McKeown, Head of UNE’s School of Rural Medicine, emphasised to the 68 first year medical students at the official welcome ceremony on Monday, where the class of 2012 were presented with white coats and iPads.
32 males and 36 females from six states across Australia and New Zealand, ranging in age from 17 to 41, make up the 2012 class of first year medical students who will spend the next three years at UNE studying to become doctors.
In his speech to the new students, Dr McKeown talked about “something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue’. The white coats the students were presented with represent the “something old’, an old symbol of professionalism. The “something new’ is the iPad; “something borrowed’ is in reference to the curriculum borrowed from the University of Newcastle, and the “something blue’ is represented by the blue logo of the school’s affiliate, The University of California.
Dr McKeown also talked about failure, courage, success and Sir William Osler and the Art of Medicine, and went on to quote the famous physician.
“Medicine is an art not a trade; it is a calling not a business; a calling in which your heart will be used equally as much as your head.”
Dr McKeown further outlined his hopes for the class of 2012.
“By the time you graduate, on this campus will be a university hospital that will recognise not only educational research excellence, but also clinical excellence and will treat both private and public patients alike,” Dr McKeown said.
“Perhaps Osler’s best known saying was to listen to your patients because they are telling you the diagnosis, and this emphasises the importance of taking a good history and communication skills.”
Death and disease were described by Dr McKeown as the ultimate enemy.
“Ultimately death wins, but it is what you do on the patient’s journey of life that makes a difference to them and will make the difference of who you are as a person.”
The students were also encouraged to learn how to deal with failure and challenges along their medical journey.
Joshua Anderson who hails from Tamworth and now finds himself a first year medical student, is finally achieving his life-long goal of studying to become a doctor. Finishing school at William Cowper College in Tamworth, Joshua travelled for a year in the UK before spending two years studying Bio-Medical Science at the University of New England and is now on track, after his second attempt at enrolling in the Bachelor of Medicine at the School of Rural Medicine.
“I have always wanted to become a doctor for as long as I can remember and I just have that passion for wanting to help people,” said Joshua.
“I really want to make a difference and do something with my life.
“It has been an extra long road for me just to be here today.
“I didn’t get in straight out of school so I have had to do extra things to get here.”
The Bachelor of Medicine-Joint Medical Program (JMP) runs in conjunction with the School of Rural Medicine at UNE and the University of Newcastle, in partnership with Hunter New England Health and the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service.
Story: Jo Harrison
