Garry Zhu

Garry Zhu, 21, Doctor of Medicine, from Melbourne, garryz@student.unimelb.edu.au

When I received an offer to be a Chancellor’s Scholar I was super excited to have guaranteed entry into Medicine. It allowed me to enjoy undergrad without the huge pressure of attaining certain grades.

As Chancellor’s Scholars the moment we started uni we were assigned a mentor who gave us in-depth insight into adjusting our lives around university and what the future might look like for us. It was really inspiring.

The Rural Volunteering Program was another fantastic opportunity offered to Chancellor’s Scholars. I went to Heathcote and found it to be an eye-opening experience. I really enjoyed the exposure to rural healthcare and seeing how diverse and holistic it is. I’ve always been open to practising rurally and that experience reinforced that it might be the right route for me down the track.

The two experiences that really defined my undergrad were going on exchange to The University of Edinburgh and playing viola with the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship gave me leeway and time to explore both of those activities. Being able to prioritise activities other than studying for three years and focus on developing as a whole person was invaluable, especially at such a critical, formative period of my life.

In Edinburgh I had the opportunity to study geography and music, both of which really interest me. It’s a quaint yet bustling city where everything is in walking distance and studying there gave me the opportunity to travel around Europe.

Auditioning for the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was the best decision I’ve made. At first I wasn’t sure whether to put myself out there, but the scholarship helped because it eased pressure on the academic side of things and gave me the space to follow my passion for music.