Rohullah Ataye
Graduate medicine
End-to-End Rural Cohort
Tell us about your pathway to studying medicine.
I was raised in Mildura, where I completed all of my primary and secondary education. Growing up, I saw family members, friends, and people in my community travel long distances to access specialist care or face delays in receiving treatment that would have been more readily available in metropolitan areas. Seeing these challenges firsthand sparked my interest in medicine and inspired me to pursue a career where I could help improve access to healthcare for rural communities.
After finishing secondary school, I completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash University. This degree provided a comprehensive foundation in the biomedical sciences and further strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine.
Upon completing my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate enough to progress onto the Doctor of Medicine program at Monash University, where I am now continuing my clinical training across a range of hospital and community settings.
Why did you choose to study medicine at Monash? What encouraged you to preference the End-to-End Rural Cohort?
I chose to study medicine at Monash University because of its outstanding reputation for medical education and its commitment to producing highly skilled, patient-centred clinicians. I was particularly attracted to its integration of clinical training with research and opportunities to learn across a wide range of healthcare settings.
A key reason I chose Monash Medicine was its strong emphasis on regional clinical training, offering broad clinical exposure across diverse healthcare settings.
The End-to-End Rural Cohort was a natural choice, allowing me to return to my hometown and stay close to family throughout my training. The Rural Cohort program offers extensive hands-on clinical experience, close mentorship from rural clinicians, and a supportive, close-knit student community that has greatly enriched my learning experience."
Where have you completed your placements so far, and what were some of the highlights?
My placements so far have taken me across Churchill, Mildura, Castlemaine, Monash Health and Bendigo Health, each providing memorable experiences and opportunities to grow. Churchill marked the beginning of my medical journey, where I built lifelong friendships with my cohort and developed my foundational clinical skills.
In Mildura, I developed my clinical skills through diverse hands-on experiences, with highlights including performing cannulation, catheterisation and scrubbing into theatre, while also enjoying the welcoming rural community and lifestyle.
Castlemaine allowed me to grow in confidence through more independent patient interactions and supervised procedures.
Now in my final year, my placements at Monash Health and Bendigo Health have expanded my exposure to orthopaedics and multidisciplinary care, while also allowing me to explore new communities. I am excited for the learning opportunities ahead in my upcoming Emergency and General Medicine rotations in Bendigo.
What other activities or opportunities have you been involved with as a Monash medical student?
Throughout my time at Monash, I have enjoyed opportunities beyond the classroom that have shaped me both personally and professionally. I have built a strong sense of community through events such as Med Ball and Gippsland Ball, while also giving back through volunteering at Monash Information Evenings, rural simulation days for high school students, the Monash Postgraduate Medicine webinar, and mentoring junior medical students.
My roles as Student and Academic representative have allowed me to advocate for student wellbeing, contribute to improving placement experiences and support younger students as they begin their medical journey.
Outside of medicine, staying involved in sport and social activities has helped me maintain balance, strengthen friendships and make the most of my time at medical school.
What are your career aspirations at this stage?
At this stage, my goal is to continue developing as a clinician by gaining broad experience across different specialties and clinical settings during internship and beyond. As I am still early in my medical journey, I remain open to exploring different areas of medicine, although I have developed an interest in surgery and cardiology.
Having spent a significant part of my training in regional Victoria, I have really valued the strong connections with patients, supportive learning environments and the unique opportunities that rural medicine provides. I hope to return to regional Victoria in the future and contribute to the communities that have played such an important role in shaping my medical journey.
What advice would you give a rural secondary student considering applying for medicine?
My biggest advice for rural students considering medicine is to believe that your background is an advantage. Growing up rurally gives you a unique understanding of the challenges faced by regional communities and helps you develop qualities such as resilience, adaptability and connection with patients.
Another piece of advice I would give is to start preparing early, seek out opportunities to learn more about medicine, and don’t be discouraged if your pathway looks different to others. There are many ways to reach medicine, and the experiences you gain along the way will help shape the type of doctor you become.