Moments in Maxillofacial Surgery Melbourne Edition: An Overview of My Medical Elective

Article from Australia

I have been very fortunate to spend my medical

school elective in OMS at OralMax Surgeons in

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, under the

supervision of Dr Patrishia Bordbar. I also spent

time with Dr Jivajothi Jeyathevan conducting a

literature review on paediatric orbital floor

fractures which we aim to publish later this

year. My elective mainly consisted of attending

clinic sessions at OralMax in Melbourne CBD

and theatre at Epworth Hospital, Richmond.

The initial inspiration for my elective was from

a friend who had completed an OMS attachment.

After hearing about the amazing procedures in

OMS, I knew I had to experience it firsthand.

Also, I felt that gaining knowledge in

pathologies of the oral cavity, jaw, head and

neck regions would be invaluable learning,

particularly given our minimal exposure to

these during medical school. Seeing Dr Bordbar

perform a maxillary down-fracture was by far

the most exhilarating experience I have ever

had in an operating theatre, and it was at this

moment I knew I wanted more of what OMS has

to offer.

Beyond the clinical setting, my time in

Melbourne allowed me to explore the area's rich

culture and landscapes. I explored the Great

Ocean Road and Mornington Peninsula, where I

was lucky to see wildlife such as koalas (a

particular highlight!), kangaroos, emus, and

dingos. I also got to experience various sporting

events such as watching a cricket game at the

famous Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG (bucket

list event!), the Australian Open tennis,

Australian Rules Football ("footy"), the Fl grand

prix and Rugby League games.

This experience has solidified my goal of

pursuing OMS as a career, and I am now hoping

to gain further experience and research

opportunities in this field. I am immensely

grateful for this invaluable experience, which

has ignited an interest in OMS. I look forward to

returning to New Zealand to share what I've

learned with my classmates and encouraging

others to explore this exciting specialty.