Rural health champion Jasraaj Singh wins prestigious Medical Student of the Year award

For Jasraaj Singh, who grew up on a farm in southern Queensland, embarking on a career in medicine was 'nerve-wracking'. But today, her commitment towards rural health has set her apart from her peers as she was awarded the Rural Doctors Association of Australia’s (RDAA) Medical Student of the Year Award for 2022.

Key Points

• Jasraaj Singh wins Medical Student of the Year Award for 2022
• Ms Singh is keen to uplift healthcare within rural communities in Australia and overseas

Ms Singh, a final-year medical student at the University of Melbourne received the award in Canberra in October this year.

The RDAA award is given annually to a medical student displaying a passion and strong commitment to rural medicine.

The awards event was held at Parliament House in Canberra during this year’s Rural Medicine Australia conference. Credit: Supplied by Ms Singh.

Speaking to SBS Punjabi about her journey, the 24-year-old attributed her interest in rural medicine to the time she spent on her family's macadamia nut farm in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast.

"My exposure to farm life and participation in community sports laid the foundation of hard work and appreciation for everything around me," shared Ms Singh who describes herself as a 'country bumpkin.'

Ms Singh said voluntary work that she undertook in a paediatrics ward at a local Nambour hospital during her high school days sparked an interest in rural health that has fueled her ever since.

"Working with patients and their families, seeing the doctors impacting lives every day, and working with people at their most vulnerable was very inspiring.

"I realised I loved the sciences and working with people, so pursuing medicine seemed to be the perfect fit."

As a student in the university's Extended Rural Cohort program, Ms Singh undertook all her medical training in rural areas, including placements in Shepparton, Wangaratta, Ballarat and currently Bendigo.

"These opportunities gave me exposure and opportunities to healthcare in rural areas and to engage with remote communities," she said.

Medical student Jasraaj Singh at SBS Studios, Melbourne. Credit: SBS Punjabi/ Sumeet Kaur

'Proud to be a Punjabi'

Hailing from Boparai Kalan village in Punjab in north India, Ms Singh said she would apparently be the first female doctor from her kinship.

She added that she takes pride in her diverse background and culture and is grateful to her grandparents and parents who have been great role models and gave her a strong upbringing.

My grandfather once took the Queensland Ambulance Service to court and won the case when they refused to let him wear a turban to work, so having a role model like him who stood up for his culture and religion has helped me shape into a proud Punjabi.

Jasraaj Singh

Ms said she likes to stay busy and has learnt to multitask from her mother.

"My mum raised me and my siblings whilst also looking after my grandparents, working on the farm and in the community, and I have been following in her footsteps."

Jasraaj Singh (L) pictured with 2021 RDAA medical student of the year awardee, Indira Barrow (R) in Northern Territory.

The aspiring doctor who loves to challenge herself and push boundaries said she hopes to continue working in rural areas and for the First Nations communities to help close the gap in health disparities and improve healthcare within the disadvantaged and geographically isolated communities in Australia and, hopefully, overseas.

Credit: Supplied by Ms Singh.

Click on the audio icon at the top of the page to listen to this interview in Punjabi.

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