Yong Deng is a second-year medical student who completed his first year of the Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway) degree at the University of Melbourne Shepparton campus.
The Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway), is for students from a rural background who are committed to undertaking their medical education wholly in a rural setting and becoming a part of rural and regional Australia’s medical workforce.
Before moving to Shepparton, Yong worked in Melbourne as a pharmacist.
However, it was Yong’s experiences as a child which led him to study medicine.
Yong spent several years in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to Australia. He saw first-hand the effects of living in a developing nation and the inadequate access to medical care.
From his lived experience, Yong feels it’s his duty of care to deliver quality healthcare in areas of need across the globe including rural and remote Australia. Thanks to the Doctor of Medicine (Rural Pathway) program, he is on his way to becoming a rural doctor.
Yong said some of the highlights of the program so far had been “Meeting so many incredible people and getting to explore Shepparton. I got to enjoy dinners with new friends and go bowling with local doctors, our lecturers/clinical educators and the university staff.
“To top it all, the student Outlook Rural Health Club organised a skiing trip — it’s still one of the most memorable experiences that I am super grateful for.
“I also enjoyed living in a beautiful and affordable accommodation through the University of Melbourne.
“The new MD teaching building is remarkable, although we never took the advantage of the Sectra visual dissection table more than we did with the outdoor basketball court!”
For more information, search: ‘Doctor of Medicine Rural Pathway’.