Wing Kei Peony Chan is very familiar with the feelings that come with watching someone you love pass away.
“My grandpa passed away when I was really little, in primary school,” she said.
“I was very touched by how he was treated, and understanding the desperation of being a family member, I wanted to be there for others who might go through the same thing.”
It’s for that reason that Peony decided to pursue a career in medicine – and she’s just kicked off the next phase of her journey as a Medical Intern at Monash Health for 2024.
“I’m excited to start using what I learnt at university, and get stuck into the workforce, but I’m also nervous in a sense as it’s a lot of responsibility to change from a student to an Intern,” she said.
After completing a Bachelor of Pharmacy and then a Doctor of Medicine at Monash University, Monash Health was first on Peony’s list for her internship.
“I chose Monash Health because they have a paediatric emergency rotation, which was super appealing to me,” she said.
“Everyone was really nice and helpful when I was a student which is another reason that made me really want to come back!”
Monash Health’s commitment to reserving positions for international students was also an attractive feature to Peony, who came from Hong Kong to Australia to study.
“My plan for the moment is to continue my career in Australia and see where that takes me,” she said.
“I have really liked living in Melbourne, everyone is so nice, but unfortunately I’m not a big fan of vegemite!”
For the moment, Peony has her eyes set on becoming a Paediatrician – but anything could change during her internship as she experiences working in an array of different units including General Medicine, Surgery, Mental Health, Emergency Medicine and more.
“I’m most excited to work in Paediatric Emergency, which will be in August,” she said.
“I had a very good experience there when I was a student, so I’m excited to go back as an Intern and Emergency is a great place to broaden your horizon and get the basics down.”
Peony, who is in the process of navigating her orientation week, will officially commence her internship next Monday in the Mental Health unit.
“I’ll be working in Stepping Stones, the adolescent inpatient mental health unit at Monash Children’s Hospital, and I’m really excited because I’ve never been there before,” she said.
“My orientation has been great so far! It was really well-structured with a combination of in-person and online learning and packed with very valuable knowledge that I found very useful in calming my nerves in preparation of the incoming challenges.”
Peony is just one of 125 Interns who started with Monash Health this week.
We wish her all the best for her internship and beyond, and encourage our community to help her feel welcome and supported during this huge step in the next phase of her career.
Approved by Associate Professor Anjali Dhulia, Chief Medical Officer