Student Reflections

Justin CHEN

Project Title: Diagnostic value of echocardiographic parameters in Chagas disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Supervisors: Prof Timothy Tan

2025, Year 4 MD Project: CM62-01-25ss | Clinical Medicine, Blacktown Hospital

“The MD project journey taught me many new skills and helped me gain clarity about what I want in my future career. Since last year, cardiology was one of the main specialties I was considering pursuing. I chose to research Chagas disease and echocardiography because I was interested in cardiac physiology and pathology, as well as understanding the science and preventative utility of diagnostic imaging. However, throughout this year, I have been thinking more deeply about if I truly want to pursue such a competitive specialty, mostly due to the work-life balance. The words that helped me break free from this cycle of thought was when my supervisor Prof. Tan told me; you don’t have to decide now, don’t get so caught up that you forget to enjoy the journey. It’s something we all know but often lose sight of when things get busy. Towards the end, I realised the research process affirmed my passion for these topics. Even if I don’t end up doing cardiology, I hope to approach any future endeavours with the same appreciation and eagerness to learn.

I also faced several challenges whilst doing this project. Having never done a systematic review before, I was unsure of the timeframes required for each step, i.e. screening, extraction and analysis. The screening process took much longer than anticipated, but I was able to get back on track by organising papers better using Endnote and collaborating with team members. I also learnt how to perform a meta-analysis using R code, which was a goal of mine since we learnt about R in year 3. Finally, being able to present our findings at the end felt extremely rewarding. It helped me realise that I want to improve my public speaking skills and ability to communicate my findings in a more formal and concise manner. The transferrable research skills and the mindset of appreciating the process and seeking personal growth, will undeniably support my future career.”

Sobithan SIVAKUMAR

Project Title: Health Service Utilisation Following Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty

Supervisors: A/Prof Daniel Steffens, A/Prof Michael O’Connor

2025, Year 4 MD Project: HI04-01-25ss | Health Innovations, Surgical Outcomes Research Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

“Working on this MD Project reframed how I think about “good surgery.” I started out focused on thepromise of robotic-assisted TKA; I finished understanding that recovery is shaped as much by context as by technique. Cleaning and restructuring a large, messy survey dataset into my own Excel workbook were the longest and most formative step. Under Dr Sandro’s and my supervisor’s guidance, I learned to standardise variables (yes/no coding, collapsing multi-response items into meaningful groups) and to build regression specifications that linked patient factors to SF-36 outcomes and health-service utilisation. That shift from counting to modelling taught me to ask clearer questions and to translate coefficients into practical messages.

The most confronting insight was equity: some patients who clearly needed care were blocked by money and transport. Seeing those barriers alongside length of stay, operative time, and employment status made the social determinants of health painful and real. It also changed my definition of value in robotics: intra-operative precision matters, but without early, targeted supports (physio access, medication-cost relief, transport, short-term domestic help), patients can still struggle. I misjudged the stats complexity and timeline. I solved it by investing more time and sitting downwith the SOuRCe team, my statistician, and orthopaedic surgeons to unpack outputs, stress-testassumptions, and prioritise signal over noise. The result I’m proudest of is predicting PROs: identifying that longer length of stay and pre-operative unemployment were linked to lower PCS/MCS, while female sex and unilateral procedures tracked with lower MCS. Those findings give clinicians actionable discharge flags.

This experience strengthened my data literacy and teamwork, and it confirmed my path toward surgery ideally orthopaedics paired with health-services improvement. If I had another cycle, I would embed a 6-week barrier screen with matched supports and track its effect on 6-month PROs and community utilisation. Translating analytics into pathway changes is where I now want to contribute as a clinician-researcher.

Jia THADANI

Project Title: Baseline Characterization of Gastric Myoelectrical Activity in Patients with Reflux Disease Using Body Surface Gastric Mapping

Supervisors: Dr Daphne Foong; Dr Manjunath Subramanya, Dr Vincent Ho, Madhuri Venigalla

2025, Year 4 MD Project: HI02-01-25ss | Health Innovations, Baseline Characterization of Gastric Myoelectrical Activity in Patients with Reflux Disease Using Body Surface Gastric Mapping, WSU School of Medicine, Campbelltown

“Undertaking my MD project has been an exceptionally rewarding and transformative experience, both personally and professionally. This research journey allowed me to explore an emerging area of upper gastrointestinal surgery, the use of non-invasive body surface gastric mapping (BSGM) to assess gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) undergoing anti-reflux surgery. Through this project, I have not only deepened my understanding of gastrointestinal physiology but also developed a wide range of research, analytical, and communication skills that will continue to benefit my future clinical and academic career.

One of the most valuable aspects of the project was the opportunity to learn and perform BSGM testing. As this is a relatively new technology, becoming proficient in its application requires careful attention to methodology, patient preparation, and data quality control. The process taught me the importance of precision and consistency in data collection, as even minor variations can influence the reliability of results. I also gained a deeper appreciation of how gastric function, esophageal physiology, and anatomical factors interact to influence reflux disease, a perspective that has enriched my clinical understanding of GORD beyond traditional approaches. Through this experience, I also interacted closely with patients and was involved in the full process of recruitment, from gaining contacts of eligible patients through surgeons, to calling and scheduling appointments, and independently conducting the BSGM tests. This hands-on involvement provided a comprehensive understanding of the logistical and interpersonal aspects of clinical research.

In addition to the technical components of the study, I actively engaged with the surgical team to facilitate the clinical and recruitment aspects of the project. I attended multiple anti-reflux surgeries to better understand the procedural context and postoperative outcomes, and I regularly met with various surgeons to discuss the project’s progress, refine recruitment strategies, and enhance patient enrolment. These experiences were invaluable in improving my understanding of surgical decision-making, patient selection, and multidisciplinary collaboration in research. I was also able to gain valuable insights during these surgeries into the pathophysiological mechanisms of GORD and how anatomical variations might influence surgical outcomes. These experiences were invaluable in improving my understanding of surgical decision-making, patient selection, and multidisciplinary collaboration in research.

Data analysis formed another major part of my learning experience. I developed practical skills in managing datasets, performing statistical analysis, and interpreting findings within the context of current literature. These tasks challenged me to think critically about variability, statistical significance, and the translation of data into meaningful clinical insights. This experience also allowed me to connect my previous experience with qualitative research and recognize how the formatting, analysis, and interpretation of quantitative data differ. I also learned how to present data clearly and effectively, using visual and written formats appropriate for both scientific and clinical audiences.

The writing phase further strengthened my academic and professional development. Drafting, revising, and refining the manuscript improved my ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely. Constructive feedback from my supervisors and peers was instrumental in this process, encouraging me to adopt a reflective approach and continuously improve my writing and analytical skills.

Beyond technical competencies, this project fostered essential personal and professional qualities. I enhanced my time management, perseverance, and ability to work independently while balancing clinical and research commitments. Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, including gastroenterologists, surgeons, and research coordinators, also strengthened my teamwork and communication skills.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Daphne Foong for her invaluable supervision, mentorship, and support throughout this project. Her guidance, constructive feedback, and encouragement were instrumental in helping me navigate the challenges of clinical research and develop confidence as an emerging clinician-researcher.

Overall, this MD project has been a pivotal step in my development as a medical student preparing to become a doctor and as an emerging clinician-researcher. It has deepened my appreciation for the importance of translational research in improving patient outcomes and strengthened my motivation to integrate evidence-based approaches into clinical practice. Most importantly, it has taught me the value of curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration in driving meaningful medical progress. I am grateful for the mentorship, teamwork, and opportunities I have experienced throughout this journey and look forward to applying the skills and insights gained to future research and clinical endeavours.”

Liliana WATTERS

Project Title: Evaluation of an Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic

Supervisors: Prof Penny Abbott, Dr Hanady Nasreddine

2025, Year 4 MD Project: GP04-01-25ss | General Practice and Primary Care, WSU School of Medicine, Campbelltown

“Although this research term taught me a lot about research skills, ethics, how to conduct semistructured interviews and how to perform framework analysis, it also taught me a lot about empathy, advocacy, passion and who I want to be as a doctor. Since entering medical school, I always had my eyes set on general practice. Growing up in a rural town, I saw the need for more GPs and was inspired by how my doctors were able to influence and interact with my community. More recently, the idea of rural generalism caught my attention. This was sparked after my first GP placement in medical school, with a doctor who had a special interest in women and children health.

I absolutely loved this placement. It made me consider if that was my interest area too. I was offered the possibility of being a part of this project, and it sparked some interest. Combining primary care with a special focus on women’s health, was definitely something I was curious about. I liked that this project would help me to not only discover my interest area a bit more, but also directly benefit a population, and hopefully, more broadly the landscape of women’s health. This project started off as an interest for me. But quickly developed into something I became deeply passionate about. As someone who has never truly struggled with pelvic pain, I had no idea what it was like to live like that. I feel so honoured that these women felt comfortable enough to share their experiences with me. My heart truly broke for what they had gone through, and it inspired me to use my education, and eventually my position as a doctor, to advocate for those without a voice. It will influence, forever, the way I approach my career, but I also hope it will go further. I am hoping to continue this project, get it to a level where it can be published. I thought this project would be completed at the end of the 9 weeks, but I can see it is something that will stay with me for the rest of my working life.”

Lakmi WEERASINGHE

Project Title: Assessing adverse events following immune suppression in patients with ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV)

Supervisors: Prof Sanjay Swaminathan and Dr Jocelyn Jiang

2025, Year 4 MD Project: CM28-01-25ss | Clinical Medicine, Blacktown Hospital Immunology Clinic and Westmead Hospital Immunology Clinic

"This rotation was amazing. I had so many opportunities to build knowledge and skills, as well as an extremely enjoyable setting in which to do so. I am so grateful towards my Professor and the Blacktown/Westmead Immunology Department for facilitating this journey. I have been able to develop my skills in Excel and importantly with the REDCaps programme which is a great opportunity as it is projected that many more registries will be conducted on this established platform. I was able to gain insights in the process of medical research, understanding the ethics application, Good Clinical Practice certification and facing the realities of research in that, not everything goes to what was initially planned. The speech scripting was a great opportunity to understand research as something to present and be almost marketed to the wider research community. It forced me to understand my project intimately and present concisely about its main features.

Another great positive is my improved understanding of the patient journey. I had the opportunity to comb through the big and small details of the patients involved in my project, helping me appreciate the nuances of different treatments and the reality of illness that patients face; being in context of other life stressors such as partner injury, building families and juggling work commitments. I am much better acquainted with eMR which is helpful in identifying where pertinent information is and what I should be focusing on when evaluating the status of a patient.

In all, the MD Project rotation was a great opportunity for me to contextualise research in the wider clinical realm and understand patient care from a different lens."

Student preferred to remain anonymous

Project Title: Clinical Outcomes of Post Cataract Surgery (Trifocal IOLs)

Supervisors: A/Prof Chameen Samarawickrama

2025, Year 4 MD Project: CM21-02-25ss | Clinical Medicine, Blacktown and Norwest (Nexus Eye Care)

"This MD Project has been one of the most challenging yet deeply rewarding experiences of my medical school journey. From its early conceptual stages last year through months of data collection and analysis, I’ve come to appreciate the full scope and depth of clinical research. There was something incredibly fulfilling about seeing significant findings emerge from what initially felt like an overwhelming stack of files. One of the most transformative aspects for me was learning how to navigate the data analysis process. When I began, I had limited experience with tools like R or Excel-based platforms like XLSTAT, I had no idea what I needed to know. There were countless moments of trial and error, but each hurdle pushed me to think more critically and adapt.

With the support of my supervisor and peers, I gradually built a stronger foundation in statistical reasoning, and I’m eager to continue developing these skills in future research. As someone with a strong interest in ophthalmology, this project offered an incredible opportunity to engage more deeply with the field. Observing cataract surgeries helped bring context to the parameters I had been recording. More importantly, it reinforced how thoughtful preoperative decisions can shape patient satisfaction and quality of life, something I sincerely hope to carry with me into future placements.

Overall, this has been an invaluable experience, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I’m incredibly grateful for the consistent support and encouragement from the MDP team, and thankful for the confidence they’ve helped me build as I look ahead to future opportunities."

Sarah CHEA

Project Title: Effect of an intradialytic resistance training on circulating endocannabinoids in patients with end-stage renal disease: A randomised controlled trial

Supervisors: A/Prof Bobby Cheema and Dr Michael Low

2025, Year 4 MD Project: BMS12-01-25ss | Biomedical Sciences, WSU School of Medicine, Campbelltown; Westmead (NICM Health Research Institute)

"This MD Project rotation has been an enlightening experience, having experienced the research process myself and being in the shoes of the authors of the many journal articles I have read and cited. I was given the opportunity to work with a randomised controlled trial, and being one the first few people to see the results of a study before it is public was a very exciting experience. Data collection and analysis were new territory for me, and frankly something I understood very little about. My supervisor was extremely patient, and through their guidance, I am much more confident in interpreting the results of studies, which was something I initially brushed off whenever I did read articles. I had not realised that understanding their analysis of results would inform my interpretation of the discussion and study in much more depth and nuance, and I am extremely grateful that I have learned this skill.

Additionally, exercise science is a topic I am passionate about as I find it is not taken as seriously as an intervention than pharmaceuticals and the like. Investigating a possible biological mechanism to enhance its rationale as a therapeutic intervention was exciting and fit perfectly within my interests and beliefs in medicine. The endocannabinoid system was something I was initially clueless about but researching it firsthand has piqued my interest in its potential, and I can’t help but share my knowledge with friends and colleagues. It is a strange experience becoming what is essentially an expert on this topic, but one I am excited to uphold. I am excited to check on its development in the future, and I am honoured to contribute to its understanding.

The MD Project rotation was something I initially dread to be complicated, tiresome and uninteresting, but I am glad to be given the chance to have firsthand experience as it has completely turned my opinion on research. I have a deeper appreciation for the time, effort and complexities that go into developing a study and writing a paper and found it to be much more enjoyable than expected. This experience is one that will stick with me and has forever shaped my practice as a medical student and as a future doctor."

Deepthi KRAMADHARI

Project Title: Rib Fracture Management in Richmond ED Network (Comparison of patient variables and outcomes for patients admitted to Lismore Base Hospital for rib fracture management by pain control – PCA versus Regional Block)

Supervisors: Dr Martin Duffy, Dr Charles Coulton

2025, Year 4 MD Project: RHL05-01-25ss | Rural Health Lismore - Lismore Rural Clinical School

"The MD Project has been integral in developing my knowledge of the research process - from beginning to source a project, applying for ethics approval, developing an audit tool, undertaking data collection and data analysis, and ultimately synthesising my findings in a concise and precise manner. One of the skills I have learnt is undertaking statistical analysis. My project required multivariate logistic and linear regression analysis along with basic descriptive statistical analysis of the patient population.

One of the more valuable lessons I have learnt on this research journey has been learning when to ask for input when a particular task is out of my scope of knowledge. I enlisted the help of the statistician at Lismore to aid me in utilising R software. I can also appreciate the utmost importance of preserving patient confidentiality when handling patient data. Although ethically accessing and storing patient data made typically procedural tasks quite laborious, the importance of adhering to the ethics protocol to preserve the rights and dignity of research participants was continually reinforced, especially as this data was being collected retrospectively.

This MD project has taught me deeply about the management of rib fractures, the role of regional anesthesia and existing clinical protocols in this health network. It does not escape that it is a true privilege to contribute to the existing literature on this topic as a medical student - especially such a prevalent clinical issue impacting a substantial number of people in the Northern Rivers region annually. Working closely with well-established ED physicians in Lismore Base Hospital has also granted me an important opportunity to present the salient findings synthesised from this audit at the monthly Trauma meeting which will help to inform future clinical decision making in the ED."

Jay HEGDE

Project Title: Neuroinflammation in Schizophrenia

Supervisors: Dr Rose Chesworth Vieyra and Prof Tim Karl

2025, Year 4 MD Project: BMS03-01-25ss | Biomedical Sciences, WSU School of Medicine, Campbelltown

"I had a very positive MD Project experience. Diving into the world of behavioural neuroscience, which was completely foreign to me, was very exciting.

Though a little overwhelming during the SLP phase of the project, as I was not yet involved directly in the research but was doing a literature review for a very specific topic. Despite this, I was very supported by my supervisor which helped me during that part of the attachment.

Within the 9 weeks itself, I am very grateful to my supervisor for meeting almost daily and performing things together. In that way I could see very clearly the day-to-day life of a researcher, learn some skills under supervision and see her thought process to maintain validity but workaround some obstacles that we had. She was also very meticulous in her planning of my 9-week attachment – that way I was exposed to a variety of behavioural models and experiments and was very included as part of the behavioural neuroscience team – attending the lab meeting every week and seeing research at different levels (MD, masters, PHD and post doctorates) presenting their research/journal club. I also presented a journal club as well as my oral presentation during these meetings, allowing me to refine my research and presentation skills."

Kathleen ADIDHARMA

Project Title: MRI in Appendicitis – an audit of Blacktown Hospital's experience

Supervisor: Dr Benjamin Woodham

2025, Year 4 MD Project: CM07-02-25ss | Clinical Medicine, Blacktown Hospital

"Since the start of this rotation, I have gained valuable insight into medical research, how it is done, what is required and its applications and relevance to real-world clinical practice. While data input into an excel sheet was tedious at times, by the end, I had become significantly more proficient at excel, particularly with use of formulas. The presentation was also an excellent opportunity to improve my presentation skills and was a surprisingly good experience, especially seeing what other students had been working on. Writing the speech as well as the abstract and discussion challenged and improved my writing ability, in particular the ability to be concise while conveying all relevant information. Reading through hundreds of patient files has improved my understanding of not only acute appendicitis, but more broadly how patients are assessed and managed in the emergency department and how imaging practices affect patient care. I aim to go into emergency medicine in the future and thus learning about common presentations in ED, how to approach certain presentations, what to look for and standard management pathways was extremely valuable. Additionally, in reading patient files, I was also able to gain a better appreciation of the level of communication and collaboration required between departments to optimise patient care.

Overall, the MD project has been a novel experience that has deepened my understanding of the role of research in clinical medicine as well as of hospital dynamics and scientific principles."

Hunter EDSON

Project Title: Cann-it-help? Self-reported patient experiences of medical cannabis use

Supervisor: Dr Robert Graham

2025, Year 4 MD Project: CM52-01-25ss | Clinical Medicine, Drug Health Service WSLHD

"MDP was an enjoyable and challenging experience that allowed me to explore an area of research that interested me, as well as giving me the opportunity to develop my research and time management skills. I really appreciated being encouraged to self-source projects as my supervisor and project topic both kept me engaged through the term.

Of course, MDP was an opportunity to develop my research skills. Whilst I have produced scientific reviews early on in this course, the standard of evidence and scope of this project pushed me to relearn research skills to a much higher standard. With the support of Lily Collison from the medical library support team, I extended my knowledge of reporting protocols, review registration and the importance of transparent and reproducible research. I learned how to develop keyword and MeSH term searches across different databases, reference management of large numbers of sources with Endnote and screening in Covidence. I was also pleased to learn that even small-scale amateur research (such as what I produced with this project) is able to find significant information, particularly in terms of identifying knowledge gaps and understanding the state of literature on a specific topic.

Finally, my time management skills were tested throughout this rotation. The majority of my research was conducted remotely without close oversight from my supervisor. Early in the rotation I was developing my skills and working to understand what my project would actually look like (I changed to a scoping review somewhat last minute). I found that without strict external deadlines I struggled to work to a consistent schedule. Over the course of the project, I developed strategies to manage my time better - timetabling on a daily and whole project scale and setting update deadlines with my supervisor. I found as I progressed on my review and my research skills improved, I was better able to estimate the time required for certain tasks and plan accordingly. I feel that time management is a skill applicable to all areas of life, especially as I progress to the busy final years of medical training and then starting as a JMO."

Shivjot SHARMA

Project Title: The Harnessing Urban Bridges (HUB) Project: Co-designing Health Hubs for Transforming Diabetes Care in Western Sydney

Supervisors: Prof Wendy Hu, Dr Jaspreet Saini, Dr Ania Lucewicz, Prof Penny Abbott, A/Prof Phylllis Lau

2025, Year 4 MD Project: GP01-01-25ss | General Practice and Primary Care, WSU School of Medicine, Campbelltown and Healthicare

"Through this MD Project, I learned valuable research skills, including systematic literature screening, data extraction, and analysing findings. Initially, my project was intended as a co-design study involving direct engagement with patients and healthcare professionals. However, due to delays in ethics, we pivoted to a scoping review. This unexpected shift taught me how to adapt quickly and stay flexible when plans change, which is crucial for any successful project.

The project also broadened my perspective about General Practice as a career pathway. Previously, I was not fully aware of the extensive research opportunities available within GP settings. Through collaborating closely with supervisors and the HealthiCare team, I discovered that primary care provides ample scope for innovative research and developing transformative healthcare models. As a result, my interest in General Practice as a possible future medical career has significantly grown."