Students at the University of Adelaide College come to us in search of more than just an education. They want to grow as people and to pursue a personal ambition. They have chosen a career and think, ‘I want to be that’, not merely, ‘I want to do that.’ We see it as our role to help our students follow their path in life in every way we can. When our students go on to achieve their goals, we feel like proud parents. Yi Chen is a recent graduate of the University of Adelaide College, and we’re so happy to see him go on to study medicine at the University of Adelaide. He’s pursuing his dream of becoming a cardiologist. Here’s what he has to say about his journey.

My name is Yi Chen, and I’m from Malaysia. Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to become a cardiologist or a doctor. I’m very interested in the heart – the pumping action of the heart is auto-regulated, and it has always amazed me. The professionalism of doctors also inspired my decision, who use their knowledge to save people’s lives. My family has always been very supportive of my decision to pursue medicine.

I started my foundation last year and studied a foundation course at the College in all science-based subjects. The course outline for each topic is not only focused on learning but also teaching us leadership and teamwork skills. Thus, it improved my social skills, which assisted in applying to study Medicine at the University of Adelaide.

I first visited the College during orientation week,  with my father visiting where we also go to visit the University. My first impression of the College was that there were a lot of students and staff from around the world, and I would have the opportunity to make friends with people from many different backgrounds.

My teachers were supportive and friendly. You are always welcome to attend a support class whenever you encounter difficulties in your learning. There are also student service officers available if you want to get more information about your future career or degree.

As a requirement to study a Bachelor of Medicine at the University, students must sit a face to face interview. The College provides mock interview sessions,  providing myself and other students an opportunity to practice before the actual interview. As a result, I gained confidence through practice.

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to continue my studies at the university. I am now studying Medicine at the University of Adelaide, which is a six-year course and I expect to graduate in 2022.

I would describe my university life as enjoyable and fruitful as I gain new knowledge and make new friends. This course has exceeded my expectation as it focuses more on self-directed learning and discussion, which means that I need to do a lot of reading. However, I feel I can now cope better with the work-load as a result of my study at the College. The study pattern in the university is similar to my Foundation Studies year.

For students studying Medicine at the University of Adelaide, there is a mentor program set up by the Medical Society. I have mentors to support my studies with my tutors from different year levels. The guides helped me to remove any doubts in my study while also building a good social relationship with peers.

I have always wanted to study Medicine. I would like to use what I learn at University to help save the lives of many. All my family are proud of my achievements, as they know that I put a tremendous effort into getting into Medicine, which has now become rewarding.

My advice to students following their dreams is to be true to yourself. During the interview and personality test (to get into the Bachelor of Medicine), the interviewer is interested in seeing your true nature.