University of Wollongong Pre-Medicine alum, Jaida Way, encourages students to view opportunities as a stepping stone and challenges as redirections as they navigate their career paths.
On RadioU’s Alumni Stories: From Here On, Ms Way spoke to Caleb Arkapaw about her pathway from pre-med studies at UOW to going on to study a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne – a journey that was facilitated by the Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship at UOW.
“I was really able to develop my networking skills and my confidence,” Ms Way said.
“There were a lot of networking events with other alumni and staff members from the university, so it really pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible.”
The Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship is a grant given to a Year 12 student who demonstrates leadership within their community, in order to alleviate HECS debt and allow them to pursue studies free of financial pressures.
During her time at UOW, Ms Way attended many networking events, as well as volunteering at the university’s anatomy labs and building a foundational social circle
An abundance of opportunities does not equate to guaranteed success, and after bouncing back from an initial rejection from the University of Melbourne, Miss Way assures anxious students that there are skills to be learned in resilience.
“A lot of people going into medicine are perfectionists and we all know it’s such a difficult path to get into,” Ms Way said.
“Rejection is the more common outcome, but to actually be faced with that for the first time is really confronting.
“It required a lot of resilience for me to deal with that and decide that this was not a rejection, but a redirection in my life.”
Ms Way undertook a gap year after graduating from UOW with Distinction in 2024, which she said refreshed her passion for medicine, before continuing her studies at the University of Melbourne.
She said that by taking advantage of the opportunities provided by UOW, students can discover more about themselves and their values moving forward in the career world.
“UOW really taught me the value of putting myself out there,” Miss Way said.
“The worst case is that you get a ‘no’, but isn’t that better than always wondering ‘what if?’”
Upon completion of her studies at the University of Melbourne, Miss Way hopes to specialise in paediatric medicine.
