Prestigious Swedish exchange for Monash rural medical students
Two Monash medical students, Alice D’Arcy and Demitra Edward, currently studying rurally, have been selected through a competitive application process to undertake placements at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Sweden in 2025.
The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden is one of the world’s foremost medical universities, with over 6,000 students and accounting for over 40 percent of all academic medical and life science research in Sweden.
Alice and Demitra will complete their Year 4 clinical rotations in obstetrics and gynaecology and children's health at Karolinska Institute.
Alice applied for the placement to follow her passion for global health, building on her involvement with the Ignite Global Health Group over the past two years.
“I’ve gained a deep appreciation for how health outcomes are shaped by geography, culture, and societal structures. I’m fascinated by the idea of stepping outside my comfort zone to learn in an entirely new environment, and spending a semester at a world-renowned institution like Karolinska is the perfect opportunity to do that.”
Alice, who is an End-to-End Rural Cohort student is particularly eager to explore the differences between the Australian and Swedish healthcare systems and how cultural factors influence health outcomes.
“During my third year in Mildura, I witnessed firsthand how rural living in Australia impacts healthcare access and patient priorities. I’m keen to compare that experience with Sweden’s approach to health and see how these differences affect patient outcomes.”
Demitra Edward, who is proudly following in her father's footsteps and has a passion for travel, jumped at the opportunity to travel whilst studying.
“We’re really lucky at Monash that we have this opportunity to enrich our learning - we can learn at highly regarded institutions overseas, gain an appreciation of other cultures and bring all of that knowledge home to provide better care for our future patients.”
Demitra feels that the placement at Karolinska will provide invaluable lessons that will shape her future practice.
“I can observe how doctors might communicate with their patients in different cultural contexts, explore different approaches to medical problems and appreciate how different healthcare systems operate.”
Alice and Demitra will complete their exchange in Semester One, 2025.