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Six years ago, many of us boarded a plane, leaving behind our family, friends, and years of our lives.�� When I first arrived in Australia, I was overwhelmed by the newness of everything. A new country, new culture, new friends, and of course, a new way of life.�� I learned quickly that the journey would be far more challenging—and far more rewarding—than I could have ever imagined.�� From the second I stepped into Rex Vowels and into our first lecture, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. I will never forget how eager my peers were to introduce me to Australian snacks including uncle toby’s le snack, shapes, jumpys and tiny teddies. As our 6 years come to an end, to my fellow international students who have chosen to return home, I recognize that it was not any easy decision and I acknowledge your strength and courage.�� We will miss you dearly and look forward to the time where our paths will cross again.�� To those of us who have decided to embrace Australia as our new home, I’ll see you at Nepean.��As we stand on the brink of a new chapter in our lives, I feel a profound sense of gratitude. We are now ready to step into the world as doctors, armed not only with knowledge but with the compassion and understanding that come from years of hard work and perseverance. Thank you to med fac for your endless support and to the class of 2024 for a lifetime of memories

Good morning distinguished guests, �鶹��madou Medicine and Health Faculty members, staff and academics, family, friends and loved ones joining us online, and of course, my peers and friends of the Class of 2024. A very warm welcome to the our official �鶹��madou Medicine farewell ceremony.

Today is a momentous occasion. The culmination of 6 years, 2190 days, or 3.2 million minutes of hard work towards a life of service in healthcare. Today is a chance for us to all come together and celebrate finally becoming doctors, just as generations of �鶹��madou Medicine graduates have done for decades before us, some of whom are sitting amongst us today.��

Before we begin I would like to give some special welcomes to those who have made a huge effort to be here today. In particular, an enormous thank you to all our peers and Faculty from the rural campuses who have made the journey to be here today. You guys are such an important part of our cohort and this ceremony wouldn’t be complete without you, so thank you so much for being here. I would also like to thank all the hospital staff, Faculty and Academics who are here with us today for giving up their time, and for all their hard work to support us right throughout our degree. Finally, a huge thank you to the School of Clinical Medicine staff and managers who have organised today’s ceremony, in particular Sarah Savige, Francy Fan, Professor Adrienne Torda and Kelly Ni, as well as Zabrina Chen, Sarah Jacob and Zara Cupina.

Summing up the last 6 years in just a few short minutes is a Sisyphean task. This cohort, and the people in this room and watching online, genuinely mean everything to me.��

I could not have wished for a better 250 people to have gone through this roller coaster ride that is Med school with. Looking back at our cohort over the years, memories of First Year feel like it they were yesterday. I’m sure we all remember our first lecture, sitting in Rex Vowels Theatre, feeling that mix of nervousness and excitement.

Two weeks later at MedCamp we got to know some more lovely faces in our cohort, and we started getting to know the legends from the Port Mac campus.

And of course come Fifth Year we had these amazing people coming in through Lateral Entry, as well as dozens of others who have joined us over the years from other cohorts.

This is a truly special cohort, and I don’t think we should take that for granted.

There are so many people who we all have to thank.

Firstly, I don’t think any of us would be sitting here today, about to become a doctor, if it weren’t for all those supporting us throughout our lives. So on behalf of all of us, an enormous and heartfelt thank you to all our family, friends and loved ones joining us online today. Thank you for being there for us, for putting up with us when we’re exhausted after a long hospital day or stressed the exam grind, and for nurturing us. I’d particularly like to thank my parents, David and Jodie, who have taught me the joy that comes from helping those around you, and that family and friends come above all else. My two favourite humans, my brother Ethan and my sister Jemma, who I’ve been lucky enough to do Medicine alongside for the last four years. And my grandparents, Kitty, Paul, Judy and John, who are my greatest inspiration. My grandparents came to Australia as refugees with little more than the clothes on their back and a hope - for a life where everyone is treated equally and all people are looked after.

Secondly, we owe an enormous thank you to our Faculty, educators, staff and academics. In particular, I’d like to acknowledge all those student champions among our Faculty members who have gone above and beyond for all of us students. I think back to when we went to Prof Velan and pitched the idea of student mental health days. Where other universities’ faculties would have hesitated, his response was immediately “yes” followed by “how can we get this up and running as soon as possible for all students?” Or when COVID started and Prof Torda, amidst hectic days of infectious diseases work, agreed to run weekly fitness classes online for our students. Or when Prof Kennedy agreed to come along late at night to hear from our 50 rural and metro reps across all our campuses, despite having early morning rounds the next day, to ensure the rural voice was being heard. On behalf of all of us, to our Faculty, we truly appreciate all the work you put in for us.

Finally, to you, my peers, lifelong friends and now medical colleagues. It’s hard to sum up how much this cohort means to me. I think our year group has something very special, a culture where we all include each other and help one another out. Writing this speech I found myself asking, what is it about this cohort that makes it so special, makes it feel like a second family? Surely it’s just that I’m biased as part of this cohort. But then it clicked when Dr Mel Fentoullis mentioned that for CTC peer teacher signups, compared with every previous year, 100 more of our cohort had signed up than ever before. This is a cohort of people with genuinely really good hearts. A cohort of people who are always there to pick you up, to have your back and to look out for those around them. And for that I am very grateful.

Looking around this room I see so many people who I have learnt from, been inspired by, laughed with, cried with, lent on, and created an insane number of memories with. It’s the fact that this is one of the very last times we’ll be able to look around and see all each other’s faces like this, that makes this ocassion so bittersweet. So from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you, my peers, my friends, and now fellow doctors, for the last six years.

First Year Med feels like a lifetime ago, and so too soon will med school. So I want us to take a moment, right now, to capture this moment in our minds. Have a genuine think - how are you feeling right now, as you look towards internship and working as a doctor? Excited? Nervous? Full of big aspirations? I reckon we all feel a mix of that. I want us to capture this moment and this feeling in our minds, and to all try and hold onto this excitement we feel throughout our careers. In the big puzzle that is the healthcare system, it can be easy to feel lost, become jaded, cynical, get desensitised to patients’ suffering and lose sight of what and who were working for. Bottle in your mind this eagerness and excitement we feel right now. Barack Obama said, "Cynicism has never won a war, or cured a disease, or started a business, or fed a young mind, or sent men into space. Cynicism is a choice. Hope is a better choice." Let’s never lose this hope we feel right now, to be amazing doctors, who make those small differences in our patient’s lives, and to improve healthcare for all.

Thank you all for the best 6 years. I’m going to miss you all so much, but I’m excited for us to all embark on this next chapter together.

Good morning everyone, and congratulations!

My name is Georgie, and I’ve had the privilege of spending the past six years at the Port Macquarie Rural Clinical Campus. I have been asked to speak on behalf of the rural campuses today, although this is pretty challenging given how unique each one is. I feel like each campus should have someone speaking. What I can confidently share though is this: every cohort that passes through our rural campuses forms friendships that continue well past graduation.��

In Port Macquarie, many �鶹��madou RCS alumni are still working together in the local hospital and general practices. They’ve not only built careers side by side but are now raising their children as friends, illustrating one of the many special aspects of studying at a rural campus.

Over the years, our students have made significant contributions to our towns—whether it’s working in clinics, cafes, pubs, or bottle shops, or volunteering with local charities and surf lifesaving clubs. For most, places like Port, Coffs, Wagga, and Albury have become home. As we venture out for internships, I know many of us will return to the towns we studied in, and those who don’t will look back with fond memories.��

At Port, the size of our cohort allowed for tailored teaching, and the commitment from our staff and local doctors was incredible. Many of them have been our teachers since our first year, making it easy to integrate into hospital teams during Phase 3. Many local doctors also take a special interest in our clinical schools with one, shoutout to Dr. King, even organising a fully catered, open cellar mock OSCE for us, bringing in specialists from around town to assess up.��

In return, we’ve been able to support younger students by running mock exams throughout our time in Phase 3, creating a strong culture of teaching and mentorship. Our rural�� med soc committees also pride ourselves on creating the best uni life possible for our students, making sure there’s always a wine tour, ball, formal dinner or sports event in the works.

Our clinical skills training has been exceptional, with regular simulations preparing us well for what lies ahead. Additionally, our phase coordinators and staff have become like family—friends, mentors, and even cool aunties over the years. I can honestly say I would choose the Port Macquarie RCS in every lifetime, and I’m pretty sad to leave all the amazing people who have been part of this journey.

We may have all been very separated throughout our degree, despite some students coming out of the city and some going in along the way. Plenty of our rural students are heading into Sydney next year and there are some metro students taking the leap rurally. I promise you’ll love it when you get there by the way. When we all cross paths in the coming years, I’m confident that we will always bond over being part of the �鶹��madou Medicine Class of 2024.��

Congratulations once again, everyone! Enjoy this celebration—you’ve earned it. Thank you!