Leading through empowerment.
Deakin medical students'
association(mEDUSA)
During my four years of medical school, I have taken several leadership positions in Deakin Medical Students’ Association (MeDUSA). MeDUSA is the peak representative body of all Deakin medical students, representing over 500 medical students to national, state and local stakeholders. During this time, I have been the First Year Academic Representative, Preclinical President, Third Year Ballarat Representative and the 2021 President of MeDUSA. My involvement in MeDUSA has been motivated by my desire to advocate for others and be the voice they need to be heard. I have been fortunate to take multiple senior roles that refined my professional development, teaching myself skills such as organisation and professional communication.
Club Operations
As President in 2021, I am in charge of the direction and daily operations of the committee. I uphold the core values of the organisation and act as a role-model for all junior students. This year, I have chaired all School of Medicine meetings, as well as Executive and General Committee meetings.
Throughout my four years in MeDUSA, I have remained as the main representative of my cohort, culminating into my election as President in 2021. However, it has not always been an easy journey. I have had to make very difficult calls, such as managing expectations of the medical cohorts with the limitations of what the School of Medicine can deliver at the time, whilst still keeping the best interest of the medical cohort at the forefront of my mind. A significant challenge during my time in MeDUSA is the difficulty to separate myself and my skills from the feedback that my colleagues gave. One such example was the constant negative feedback on how the OSCE sessions were being run, and how some students were receiving more opportunities than others. This was difficult for me to process as I was trying my hardest to help others with their practice and often to the detriment of my own time and energy to do so. However, upon reflection and exploring more about the motivations behind my peers and their dissatisfaction, I came to realise that they were expressing frustration at the system and not me. It was an important lesson to learn to temper my emotions and focus on addressing concerns. This was a pivotal moment as I learnt to become more pragmatic with my leadership, choosing to be transparent with my communication and make measured judgements even in times of stress and pressure. Over time, I became better at listening to feedback and implementing solid strategies to execute our goals in a more efficient and effective manner. Moments like these reinforced that, like learning to become a doctor, leadership was also a journey. As a result of these experiences, I have grown immensely as a professional, a future doctor and as a person.
"I have worked with Paolo extensively during his time in MeDUSA. He has had tremendous growth in professional development in these roles and has often gone above and beyond the expectations of his roles, to the benefit of his peers. Paolo has made an incredible impact to the medical community at the School of Medicine."
Dr Daniel Marie
Immediate Past President
MeDUSA
A significant part of my Presidential role is making decisions on the activities that MeDUSA undertakes, which involves organisation and mindful decision-making to balance the expenses of the club. To achieve this, I made it my mission to create a flat hierarchy within MeDUSA, so that I am approachable to all committee members. I have always valued a sense of community above all else; therefore, it was paramount that all members of my committee felt like they were able to ask others for assistance. Having a flat hierarchy also promotes a culture of concern for others’ wellbeing. I have found this very rewarding as I feel that I have gained genuine friends in a community that can be competitive and cutthroat. To facilitate this, I do frequent checkups on all members of my executive committee and encourage the general committee to approach me if they have any concerns. I make it clear that my door is always open for a chat regardless if it is related to their role or their general life within medicine. Supporting others during this journey has been fulfilling and as a leader, I have taken it as my own responsibility to promote the importance of well-being in the workplace.
"In 2021, as the President of MeDUSA, Paolo has led a large team across all four year levels and across multiple clinical sites Victoria wide. He has maintained strong relationships with all members of this committee despite the challenges in communication this year has presented and has successfully motivated students to innovate and adapt to current circumstances within their own portfolios."
Rachel Tobin
Vice President
MeDUSA
Representation and advocacy to overcome adversity
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were significant issues at each clinical site around Victoria due to the variability in clinical exposure, online teaching and opportunities for learning. This was an extremely stressful period for my cohort that was filled with uncertainty about our prospects as doctors as well as the lack of clarity around the format of the upcoming assessments that required us to be at a level of competency to continue our training. With this in mind, I rallied the clinical school representatives at clinical sites in Geelong, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Box Hill, and collated a 23-page report from Year 3 and Year 4 students about the state of their clinical learning experience. With a solutions-focused approach, we used the information to inform the School of Medicine about how to overcome these barriers to our learning, but also ensured that our judgement was balanced with the limitations of what can be delivered. As a leader, it was imperative that I also considered the difficulties that the staff experienced during this time and approached our discussions in an empathetic yet constructive manner. The outcome of this report were significant modifications for our assessments that no longer disadvantaged students, the removal of the Z-score that dictated our internship positions, and a state-wide move towards a fair and equitable internship application process. This advocacy for change at the systems level required high levels of emotional intelligence, sound professional communication and consideration for all parties – which I believe resulted in a favourable outcome for all medical students.
Snippets of the 23-page report by the MeDUSA Clinical Representatives to the School of Medicine.
"Whilst Paolo’s capabilities as a leader have been evident throughout his period at Deakin, they have been particularly important during the last 18 months as the School and student body have adapted to the COVID-19 crisis. He has at times needed to balance advocacy on behalf of students with the pragmatic constraints of the University requirements, and has managed this in a clear and respectful manner."
A/Prof Laura Gray
Course Director
Doctor of Medicine Program