"Dedicating myself to working full time in the laboratory with my supervisor was a very unique and empowering experience."
Camille started the Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne in 2016, and Honours year in 2019, after completing high school in Hong Kong. In 2018, she was awarded a Melbourne Global Scholars Award and an Anatomy and Neuroscience Vacation Scholarship.
The University of Melbourne’s vibrant Parkville campus attracted Camille to consider completing her undergraduate studies in Melbourne.
"Besides the University of Melbourne being one of the top tanked universities in the world, Melbourne itself is also a city full of arts and cultural events, marking it an interesting place to live and explore. The University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus also has the geographical advantage of being relatively close to the city, allowing students the option to live close to both. In my opinion, the Melbourne city centre is comparable to the scale and density of Hong Kong, with many services available at a convenient distance. Even students with less experience studying abroad can still find it easy to quickly adapt to their new life in Melbourne."
Chinese:
「 墨爾本大學除了有較高的世界大學排名外，在地理位置上亦有優勢。其距離與墨爾本市中心不遠，留學生可選址較近市中心的地點住宿。 而墨爾本市中心生活配套與香港較接近，方便留學經驗較少的香港學生儘快適應新環境。此外，墨爾本文化氣色濃厚，亦不時有展覽和表演供對文化歷史有興趣的學生觀賞，是爲不錯的留學地點。」
For her Bachelor of Biomedicine, Camille majored in Cell and Developmental Biology, specialising in Reproduction and Development.
"I was particularly drawn to the core subjects of this major because of their emphasis on stem cell research which as always been my area of interest. Despite being a relatively new major, Cell and Developmental Biology is coordinated by some of the best professors and researchers who are passionate about teaching. It has been a very enjoyable experience overall."
The Melbourne Model offered Camille the flexibility to pursue her interests outside of her specialisation during her Bachelor of Biomedicine.
"I chose a variety of breadth subjects ranging from philosophy studies to language courses. I also joined the study abroad program during second year as an extension to my language studies.
"On top of fulfilling my interest in learning a new language, I was also able to choose subjects that satisfied my curiosity about philosophy without venturing too far away from my main field of study. The breadth subjects I took featured learning experiences different to my typical subjects and served as a nice mental break from my usual study."
Camille considers her time volunteering as a research assistant the highlight of her academic career so far at the University of Melbourne.
"Dedicating myself to working full time in the laboratory with my supervisor was a very unique and empowering experience. I slowly gained independence in my work as I learned more about laboratory research in a real-world setting."
Biomedicine equipped Camille with a solid foundation for her Honours year. Camille particularly found subjects like the Science and Technology Internship (SCIE30002) and Biomedical Science Research Project (BIOM30003) most valuable.
"I am currently doing an Honours year in which I complete a laboratory-based research project in addition to my Bachelor’s degree. The laboratory and report writing experiences I gained from previous Biomedicine subjects have prepared me with the necessary skills and confidence for acquiring my current project. Previous lectures on development biology have also granted me sufficient knowledge to easily understand the context of my current project and have laid the foundation for my future work."
The friendships Camille made during her studies are very important to her.
"Looking back at the past three years, my most cherished memories are definitely the times I spent with my friends, whether it be our regular study sessions, trying out new things at university together, or learning about the city as a newcomer.
"A crucial part of having an enjoyable university life is to have friends with you. The best way to make friends in a new environment is to initiate conversations yourself, especially during the first few days of a new subject when everyone also wants to make new friends. Do not be afraid to reach out to students from upper years, as most are more than happy to help. Sign up for the mentoring program and let your mentor guide you through the first chapter of your university life. Go to O-Week Clubs Day, but do not let the long list of clubs overwhelm you. Be selective and choose one or two clubs that you are sure about and stick with them."
Chinese:
「 有朋友相伴可爲大學生活生色不少。留學生獨自在陌生環境可多嘗試與周邊同學主動發起對話。開學前也可先找有興趣加入的club（俱樂部）和有關網上羣組參與討論。留學生亦可加入由大學提供幫助新生儘快融入大學生活的mentoring program（指導方案）。有問題和煩惱時多與大學留學生輔助職員和其他學生溝通。」
Camille’s current Honours research experience has inspired her to consider furthering her studies with a PhD or taking up related research assistant opportunities. Her career goal is to become a clinical laboratory technician.