Balancing Academics and Athletics: Olivia Studholme's Journey from IB to Medical School

Studying IB in Years 12 and 13, Olivia Studholme (SMC 2017-2022) set her sights on a medical career. Heading to the University of Otago, she was accepted for Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) alongside a University of Otago Performance Scholarship for rowing. Living at Studholme College, where she was also the college co-president and continuing rowing for the University of Otago, Olivia competed in a number of events at the NZ University Rowing Championships and was selected in the Women's 8 to represent the University at the sixth International Shenyang Open Regatta in China, “For me, continuing to row was a key part of my academic success as it forced me to maintain balance however I was definitely very busy at times.”  

Completing the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) in July and her HSFY course in October, Olivia received offers into Medicine, Dentistry and Medical Laboratory Science; she is now studying medicine in Dunedin. “ It's really nice to be out of the competitive learning environment of HSFY; however, it has definitely taken the first few weeks to get used to the volume and structure of the course. I am really enjoying the content and the practical skills of the curriculum.”

Olivia plans to shift to the Otago Medical School campus in Christchurch for her clinical years and complete the rural immersion programme for rural medical students in her 5th year. “I am currently unsure of what specialty I see myself doing, but potentially rural or sports medicine, or orthopaedics.”