Grace Hannan

Grace is a third year Doctor of Medicine student and recipient of a VMIAL Scholarship.

Photo of Grace Hannan

“I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the Scholarship I received. It has allowed me to work hard at becoming the best doctor I can be, without the stresses other students commonly face.

In the past, financial stresses affected my ability to really immerse myself in my studies. I often had to push study to the side to ensure I could work and meet financial commitments.

Thanks to the Scholarship, I no longer have that burden. I am well aware of the privilege I have been given and this motivates me every day to ‘give it my best’. The scholarship has given me the opportunity to become involved with the local community and I am continuously looking for ways to give back and even aid those who are not as fortunate as me as they progress through medical school.

This year I have initiated weekly volunteer tutoring sessions for second-year students in Wangaratta. I feel I have a lot of advice, knowledge and support to offer, which can be hard to come by in rural settings.

The last two years of clinical placements have opened up my eyes to my passion for Women and Children’s health. Next year I will be returning to Melbourne to undertake some research at the Royal Women’s Hospital. I hope that this will broaden my experiences and exposure to clinical medicine in a tertiary setting. In saying that, I am incredibly passionate about Rural Medicine. I could see myself returning as a rural doctor in the future.”