AMSA 2023 Internship Guide

ACT NEW GRADUATE
PERSPECTIVE
Congrats on almost finishing! If you are reading this, you are likely at the end of your
med school journey and about to embark on one of the most exciting journeys
(career-wise) there is! It is a huge deal and you should all be very proud of
yourselves!
As an ANU graduate, Canberra has been my home for the past four years. It took
me a while (2 years to be exact) to like the capital city. While Canbs (a nickname for
Canberra by many locals) may not be as busy or popular as other big cities like
Sydney, it certainly has its own perks. I do not have to drive through big-city traffics
(like when I was back in Melbourne). My commute is about 10-15 min each way
from home to the Canberra Hospital depending on parking. The city is buzzing
with its growing food and coffee culture. And this year, ACT is the first territory in
the country (if not the world), to table Australia’s first legislation to ban unnecessary
and irreversible intersex surgery on children. Talk about being progressive and
going in the right direction!
I am loving my time in Term 1 ED in the Canberra Hospital at the moment. I do still
struggle to wake up before my shifts but I always have fun during work. I am always
well supported by consultants, registrars, nurses, PTs/allied health, admin and my
intern peers. Having to do shift work can be frustrating and difficult but ED
rostering in TCH is possibly the most understanding and accommodating. In
addition to being an intern in ED, you can also choose to teach/examine clinical skill
sessions for the Y3 and Y4 medical students in ANU, partaking in research projects,
and taking up leadership positions in CRMEC, AMA and JMOA.
For those of you who are looking to move to Canberra to start internship, my short
answer is, “Welcome and you will love it!” The internship cohort is comprised of
some ANU grads, some graduates from other Australian medical schools and IMGs.
It is a very diverse group of talented people from all walks of life who are passionate
about medicine. There are dedicated prevocational education officers within the
Canberra Health Services who are always there to support junior doctors (especially
interns) through the highs and lows of this steep learning curve (with chocolates
and candies!).
Finally, a word about the ACT application process. The application process to ACT
internship is a breeze compared to the HETI application or the application process
to VIC. I believe you can choose to do a mixture of Canberra Hospital, Calvary
Hospital, Bega and Goulburn, or a long-term internship program in Bega. I would
encourage you all to apply to as many territories/states to expand your horizon. At
the end of the day, it is a job you have been working towards for at least the past
four years, most likely the past eight or more. Good luck and you got this!
Dr Yangzirui Fu
(Zee)
PGY1, Canberra Hospital