Curtin Medical School (Medicine)
There were 83 medical graduates from Curtin Medical School (Medicine) in 2024. At the graduation ceremony, AMA (WA) President Dr Michael Page presented the AMA (WA) Hippo Prize for Academic Excellence and Professionalism to Dr James Daniel McGurgan.
Dr Martha Calalang emphasised one particular quality of the graduating group in her Valedictorian speech at the ceremony.
Dr Martha Calalang giving her Valedictorian speech.
“When I think of a word to describe our cohort, the one that instantly comes to mind is tenacious. As students who started their medical journeys with the outbreak of COVID-19, we enjoyed only a few blissful weeks on campus before being thrust into the chaos of lockdowns and online learning. Adapting to this new educational landscape would be difficult in any context, but when combined with the study of medicine, navigating a new environment and, for some of us, moving away from family and friends, the road ahead appeared to be filled with uncertainty.
What posed a far greater challenge was the social isolation. Instead of getting to know those we’d be spending the next five years with, and consolidating our learning with our hands as well as our minds, we were stuck at home, staring at endless slides and textbooks, whilst trying to maintain the few friendships we had managed to make, or pining desperately for the loved ones we’d left on the other side of the country. Despite these challenges, this cohort pushed through – eager to make up for lost time, both academically and socially. We banded together to bulk-buy blood pressure cuffs, honed our examination skills with our Talley & O’Connor’s in tow, while forming study groups that would later become the foundations of lifelong friendships.
To my fellow graduates, and now doctors – I feel truly honoured to have gone through this journey alongside you. We’ve come a long way from the disembodied voices on Collaborate and bleary-eyed zombies sneaking a coffee between seminars. Today, what I see before me is a group of incredibly bright individuals, with even brighter futures. People who relish a challenge, are eager to learn, and who possess an unending capacity for kindness and empathy for their patients, their colleagues and themselves. I feel proud to have known, grown and learnt beside each and every one of you.
As we move on from CMS, I am confident that the tenacity that saw us through our medical school journey will guide us as we embark on our careers; that our determination will help us weather the trials we’re sure to face, learn the lessons that will undoubtedly come, and excel in whatever we set our minds to. My sincerest congratulations to the Curtin Medical School, Class of 2024 – I cannot wait to witness what we all achieve.
