Ghanisht Juwaheer

Doctor of Medicine & Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours)
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Scholarship
Mauritius

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"Medical students are fully immersed at the hospital: going on ward rounds, talking to patients, learning from specialists… I like feeling like I’m fulfilling a purpose that I set out for myself – learning how to take care of myself and the many enriching friendships I’ve formed already."

Ghanisht Juwaheer


Ghanisht started the Doctor of Medicine in 2019, after completing the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours) in 2018 at the University of Melbourne. Ghanisht is sponsored by the Government of Mauritius back home, holding the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Scholarship.

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Why the Doctor of Medicine?

I am currently a second-year medical student at the Austin Hospital. Medical students are fully immersed at the hospital: going on ward rounds, talking to patients, learning from specialists…I like feeling like I’m fulfilling a purpose that I set out for myself – learning how to take care of myself and the many enriching friendships I’ve formed already. A big thing I’m very excited about is learning to talk and interact with my patients to my strengths and not having to fit a certain mould. The intern year is purported to be gruelling and I just want to make sure I’m as well equipped as I can be for a start.

A career in surgery definitely excites me and I can’t wait to explore the options and get in touch with the people who can teach me while I’ll be at the Austin Hospital for the next three years. Life as a Clinician Research is something that I’ll endeavour to make a big part of my career as well.

Why the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours)?

I had made up my mind to study medicine some time during the middle of my high school years – and a Bachelor of Biomedicine was a good place to start in Australia, as per the Melbourne Model of tertiary studies. The Bachelor of Biomedicine is a world class program. The Bachelor of Biomedicine is a world class program. I thoroughly enjoyed the Bachelor of Biomedicine – it pushed me to my limit, and I did well in it too.

Honours is a great pathway into the Doctor of Medicine.

Honours had a positive impact on my life. The people I came into contact with and the mindset that I developed during Honours, notably that my life didn’t have to go linearly according to some grand plan, but I’d get to where I want to at my own pace, were very significant. I liked being treated like a professional and the responsibilities that came with million-dollar facilities at our disposal and delivering under deadlines and pressure. I liked having a chance to leave a very humble but definitely present contribution to science – which just fuelled my drive for more research later on.

French:

J’avais décidé d’étudier la mèdecine lorsque j’avais entre 15-16 ans. Le parcours pour le faire en Australie, le Melbourne Model comme ça s’appelle, demandait un diplôme en biomèdecine et c’est comme ça que j’ai entamé mes études ici  au pays des kangourous.L’année d’Honours, par contre, n’était pas prévu au début, mais c’était une option à ne pas rater qui m’était présentée quand je n’avais eu ma place en mèdecine lors de mon premier essai. Pour les deux, et même le programme de MD (Docteur en médecine) que je suis en train d’étudier en ce moment, c’est une education de qualité, reconnue à travers le monde donc pourquoi pas?

Why the University of Melbourne?

While looking up the possible destinations of study, a chance encounter at an education fair introduced me to the University of Melbourne.

The University of Melbourne is a place that was welcoming since the start. The Uni rep that day and further communication from various people made me feel wanted after what had been a gruelling year of applications.

The bustling student environment was encouraging too, for it provided the chance to be part of something exciting! Multiple talks organised by the Uni served to further fuel my curiosity for what I want to achieve in Medicine, and still successfully inspire me to this day.

I can’t forget to mention the very helpful online Stop 1 recourses that guided me to what I needed pretty quickly, be it Academic Skills flyers or how to sort out the admin things that a university student is only too happy to have someone do for them.

French:

C’était honnêtement de la chance qui m’a poussé vers l’université de Melbourne, chance acquise en visitant une des éxpositions d’éducation à l’île Maurice et en pensant “dis donc, ces gens sont très accueillants”. L’idée d’appartenir à une vie étudiantine dans une des villes les plus excitantes de la planète me passionait vraiment aussi.

University highlights

My involvement with the student club at Whitley College brought so many memories and people into my life, helping to shape my thoughts and current personality.

Advice for students

Say yes to the things that come your way, even when you might not feel like it. It’s in retrospect that we’ll be able to connect the dots as Steve Jobs said, and the more things you say yes to, the more you’ll have an interesting life to talk about. If you wake up and feel excited to go and do what you are doing, you are on a good track to excel. Have fun as you go, instead of waiting for the day when all the work is done.

Advice for Mauritian scholarship recipients:

Scholarships offer nothing more than a much-appreciated financial incentive. You shouldn’t ride that high horse too much and just keep actively looking for things to do. Same applied to those who are coming without scholarships – you got a seat at one of the world’s best universities and deserve to be here, so don’t be stupefied by others. Get out there as well, meet people and be kind to them, especially at parties and social gatherings because that’s where living is learned.

Find out more about the Doctor of Medicine

Find out more about the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours)