Space to learn

Sylvain Mani from VMIAL with student Alexandra Clarke

Alexandra Clarke grew up in rural Victoria and has spent the past five years living at Monash University Clayton where she has just finished the Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci) Honours program.

She has already completed four years (of five) of her MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). Alexandra is the recipient of the PSA Medical Science Scholarship which has assisted her to undertake her BMedSci in 2012. 

The scholarship, funded by Victorian Medical Insurance Agency Limited (VMIAL), covers all tuition and accommodation costs at a residential hall.

VMIAL is involved in the promotion of insurance products to members of the medical and dental professions and its interest in these professions extends to reinvesting funds into a number of projects that directly support and benefit medical and dental practitioners. One such example is the funding of these scholarships which VMIAL has been doing since 2010.

As part of the scholarship, Alexandra takes on a mentoring role for junior medical students via tutorials and other activities.

“I offer my time once a week in a structured session that I facilitate. I love it,” said Alexandra. “We also have online groups so we can share study notes and organise meetings.”

“The mentoring and tutoring aspect this year is a whole different side of medicine.  I hadn’t had the chance to mentor and tutor before. It’s great to have the opportunity to get to know the students over a year and share what I’ve learnt over the past four years,” she said.

A big part of medicine is teaching. “It’s been really enjoyable and has also reminded me of things I’ve learnt and not gone back to,” said Alexandra.

Based at the new Jackomos Hall on the Clayton campus thanks to the scholarship, Alexandra’s accommodation is designed to be self-sufficient whilst still maintaining a community feel. “It feels like luxury compared to my former student accommodation and the location is great as I have family close by which is great for support,” she said.

Alexandra has had an intensive 2012. She has completed her BMedSci thesis about neo-natal intensive care which she has researched at Monash Medical Centre.  She mentors and teaches undergraduate students, and regularly volunteers at the nearby Ronald McDonald House on night shift. Add to that the numerous research projects she’s involved in and the fact that she recently presented at an international conference.

“The financial aspect of the scholarship is a huge help with the fact I don’t have to work this year. It’s a huge stress gone – it’s been amazing. Living so close to the Monash Medical Centre means I can be in for ward rounds at 8am, and given I’m there until 7pm quite often, it’s not too far to come home,” she said.

Next year Alexandra will complete a six-month placement in Katharine in the Northern Territory where she will be working in paediatrics. “Being from a rural background I’ve always been interested in rural and Indigenous health, so that’s where my interests lie. I see myself going back to the country at some stage – I won’t be in the city forever,” she said.

VMIAL have found this to be a significantly rewarding scholarship, noting that it is a truly engaging experience for the students. “As well as encouraging deserving students to undertake this additional and very worthwhile study year, this scholarship goes further than removing the financial burden of these studies in the way these students assist and mentor more junior medical students” said Sylvain Mani from VMIAL.

As well as developing their leadership and technical skills, this added incentive provides students with an opportunity to contribute something back to the University through mentoring and tutoring.

For more information scholarships and others philanthropic priorities in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, please visit the Giving to Monash website.