Phillipe Adamtchek

When it came to pursuing a degree in Medicine, I was fortunate to receive offers from multiple universities. Given the demanding nature of a medical degree, I took the time to carefully weigh-up my options. Ultimately, I chose to study at the University of Melbourne – here are the reasons why:

Having completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at Monash University, I was eager to explore a different academic environment for a change of scenery. The central location of the University of Melbourne campus in the heart of the CBD was highly appealing. This allowed me to pursue a range of extracurricular and professional opportunities throughout the city.

Another deciding factor was the Melbourne Medical School’s extensive network of partnerships with leading research institutions across Australia. Through this network, I had the privilege of working under an esteemed academic in health economics, who became my supervisor for a research project that is now being published.

Additionally, I was drawn to the University's commitment to providing world-class learning experiences, such as the renowned annual MD Student Conference, which was highly praised by former students. As someone who thrives on new challenges and opportunities for growth, these experiences have enriched my medical education in ways I never could have imagined.

Overall, choosing the right university is a deeply personal decision, guided by individual values and priorities. For me, Melbourne Medical School was the ideal choice.

My medical school journey has been filled with unforgettable experiences. One of my key medical interests is the field of plastic surgery. To broaden my exposure to this field before making a decisive career commitment, the University facilitated a four-week international exchange to a Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery Department in Seoul, South Korea. During this time, I marvelled at one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world, witnessed cutting-edge surgical techniques and made connections with local and international students and doctors from across the world. It has definitely been a medical school highlight!

Furthermore, from the moment I decided that I wanted to become a doctor, I was drawn to surgery. And so, as early as day one of medical school, I found myself involved in the 90-Surgical Student’s Society of Melbourne (SSSM). Fast-forward to my final year: I’ve had the privilege of serving as Executive Vice President of SSSM and Co-Chair of my clinical school’s surgical society. These roles allowed me to network with surgeons across all of Melbourne, collaborate with surgical groups nationwide, spearhead and MC university-wide surgical events and most fun of all, rub-shoulders with extremely talented surgically-inclined peers who I now consider some of my closest friends!

Early in medical school, I also serendipitously discovered the world of entrepreneurship and was instantly drawn to learn more. True to my philosophy of “learning by doing”, soon after, I launched a boutique VCE Science tuition centre, which merges traditional tutoring with online learning tools – a similar model to online module resources, on-demand support and online classes offered at university. Growing the startup from a solopreneur to a team of 12, and supporting over 500+ students, across 32+ schools, has been one of my most rewarding achievements. This could not have been possible without being inspired by several of my entrepreneurially-minded colleagues. In the future, I hope to merge my passion for medicine with entrepreneurship by exploring opportunities in BioTech/MedTech industries.

As I mentioned in my previous answer, I am deeply fascinated by the field of surgery. Equally, I am interested in the future of personalised medicine, especially therapeutics using multiplex omic profiles. Someday, I would love to revolutionise surgical care by integrating personalised medicine (perhaps my experience within entrepreneurship will play a useful role here). Currently, I am focused on pushing myself to embrace new experiences and opportunities. Whether these dreams become a reality – only time will tell!

Be open to change

One of the biggest challenges as a medical student has been adjusting to constantly changing teams during clinical rotations. Each rotation means working with new doctors and different teams, who may have different communication styles and team cultures. Fortunately, most doctors acknowledge that you are students, and are quite accommodating!

Value your time

With so much going on outside of medicine, finding time for everything can feel overwhelming. However, this experience has taught me the importance of developing strong time management skills and how to value your time effectively, e.g.: “Phillipe, I’m sure that last Netflix episode can wait until the weekend...”