NEXT FREE LIVE EVENT 13TH OF FEBRUARY 2025 – JOIN NOW

Ep 5: From Single Mum Nurse To Med Student (Case Study)

Episode 5

In This Episode:

In Episode 5 of the Nurses Doing GAMSAT Podcast, Dr. Tom and Mare sit down with Annikki, a nurse and now a first-year medical student, to share her incredible journey.

From managing shift work and single parenting to tackling the GAMSAT and overcoming self-doubt, Annikki’s story is packed with inspiration and practical insights.

Perfect for healthcare professionals dreaming of medicine, this episode will show you what’s possible with determination, support, and the right strategies.

Resources Mentioned:

Mare Forfa (00:00):
Crying because I know where you started. I know how long and hard that journey was for you. And this is why we do what we do, because your life has changed, but not just your life—the life of your daughter, the life of your entire community. You’re going to go back to that hospital and be a doctor. I’m crying because I care.

 

This is genuinely why we’ve been doing this for 18 years. It’s amazing. It’s amazing.

 

Annikki (00:33): 
Yeah. It is…

 

Dr Tom (00:52):
Welcome everyone to today’s Nurses Doing GAMSAT Podcast. Welcome back to our regular listeners, and a big welcome to anyone listening for the first time. We have a very special episode today because we’re joined by an incredible nurse who has an amazing story and who is now becoming a medical student. We’re going to hear all about that. Mare, would you like to introduce her?

 

Mare Forfa (01:21): 
Thank you. I’m excited. I’m actually just excited to introduce Annikki.

 

Dr Tom (01:26): 
Okay, cool. Let’s jump right into it then. So, Annikki is… well, like I said, she’s probably still a nurse. I imagine she’ll keep doing that for a bit. But we’ll hear more about her story. She sat the GAMSAT a couple of times, and we helped her along the way. And now, she’s a student at Flinders Medical School. Welcome, Annikki.

 

Annikki (01:52):
Thanks! I’m so excited to be here.

 

Dr Tom (01:55): 
Excellent. Excited to have you here. This is the first time I’ve personally had a chance to chat with you on the podcast. Mare mentioned she’s done this many times already, so we’ll be sharing more of those with you guys later. But today, we’re diving into Annikki’s unique story because we know many of you listening are nurses or healthcare professionals taking the GAMSAT. You might feel like it’s a lonely journey, overwhelming even, with so much to manage. It’s understandable—full-time work, stress, and everything else. But there are ways to get it done successfully and make that transition into medicine. So, in this episode, we’re going to unpack Annikki’s story. By hearing it, I hope you’ll start visualising your own path forward and feel more confident about what you can achieve. Mare, anything you want to add?

 

Mare Forfa (03:09):
Let’s just dive in! I want to start right from the beginning, Annikki. Tell us about your journey to medicine. What have you been doing? I know you’ve done more than just nursing. Was there a moment where you thought, “Okay, I need to do this doctor thing,” or was it a gradual process? How did it all happen?

 

Annikki (03:39):
Okay, so when I was nine years old, I was doing the Oliphant Science Awards. As part of that, we went to a laboratory. I remember walking around and seeing a preserved brain in a jar. I asked, “Why is that brain in a jar and not in someone’s head?” They explained it was the brain of someone who had dementia.

 

My mum was a nurse in aged care at the time, and I’d often hear her stories about work, including her sadness when a patient passed away. She once talked about a patient with dementia, and I remembered that as they explained what happens to the brain. Right then, I said out loud, “I’m going to be a brain surgeon and fix dementia.” That was it; I decided I wanted to be a doctor.

 

Mare Forfa (05:29):
At nine!

 

Annikki (05:30):
Yeah, at nine. But as life went on, I didn’t achieve what I needed to get into medicine. I was very successful in other jobs, like national sales, but it wasn’t fulfilling. When I was 27, I fell pregnant with my daughter. After having her, I had this overwhelming feeling of needing to show her what I could achieve. It was almost like breaking generational trauma—to show her she could be anything.

 

Shortly after that, I left a domestically violent relationship and became a single parent. Living with my parents and raising her, someone mentioned, “You used to want to be a doctor. What happened?” That got me thinking. I thought, “I can’t do medicine, but maybe I can try nursing or paramedics.” I applied for university and got into nursing. The best part was it was online, so I could study when my daughter slept.

 

Dr Tom (09:10):
Amazing story already. But let’s pause there for a moment. You’re a single parent, doing full-time study online, and eventually volunteering as a paramedic. How did you manage to juggle all of that?

 

Annikki (10:38):
If you want something badly enough, you’ll find a way. Volunteering became my “adult time” while raising a small child. I studied during any spare moment—whether it was at home or during downtime on shifts. It came down to prioritising what mattered most. I said no to things that could wait, like dinners with friends, because I had deadlines to meet.

 

Dr Tom (12:15):
It sounds simple when you say it, but it’s not easy. Prioritising and setting boundaries takes a lot of personal development.

 

Mare Forfa (12:17):
Totally. I heard something recently: it’s not selfish to put yourself first; it’s selfish for others to expect you to put them first. If you’re looking after yourself, you’re setting an example for others to do the same.

 

Dr Tom (13:35):
Absolutely. So, Annikki, you finished your nursing degree, and then what?

 

Annikki (13:45):
I got a grad year in ICU, which was fantastic. I learned so much working with incredibly intelligent people. But after a while, I realised it wasn’t the right fit. I decided to try ED, as I thrived in dynamic environments during my paramedic volunteering. I ended up in a country ED and loved it. That’s when I started seriously thinking about the GAMSAT again.

 

Dr Tom (15:45):
What prompted you to revisit medicine at that point?

 

Annikki (16:16):
I realised I wanted more from my career. Nurses run hospitals—that’s undeniable. But I wanted to be more involved in decision-making and patient pathways. That’s where my passion lay.

 

Mare Forfa (17:31): 
That’s such a common theme. Many nurses we work with say they feel capped and want to make more direct impacts. There’s nothing wrong with either path—it’s about finding what’s right for you.

 

Dr Tom (18:27):
Exactly. So, how did you juggle full-time work, GAMSAT prep, and parenting?

 

Annikki (27:19): 
Everything went into a calendar. If it wasn’t scheduled, it didn’t happen. I found ways to maximise my time, like listening to podcasts while driving or studying during breaks. Sleep was essential, too—I needed six solid hours to function well.

 

Dr Tom (29:51):
That’s a great strategy. Many people think they have no time, but once they track it, they realise they do. It’s about making the most of what you have.

 

Mare Forfa (30:23):
We see it all the time in our bootcamp. Students gain up to 24 hours a week just by reassessing their schedules.

 

Dr Tom (32:14):
So, Annikki, what was your biggest challenge with the GAMSAT, particularly Section 3?

 

Annikki (32:49):
It was tough. I’d studied biology and chemistry years ago, but it had been 15 years. I was overwhelmed initially, but the basic science classes you introduced were game-changers. They gave me the foundational understanding I needed, and reasoning skills helped me tackle unfamiliar questions.

 

Dr Tom (35:09):
Reasoning skills are critical, especially for the unexpected questions like the body temperature of a platypus. What about the other sections?

 

Annikki (35:14):
For Section 2, I had to learn to write concisely. Practice and essay planning made a big difference. Section 1 wasn’t too bad since I’ve always loved literature, but interpreting cartoons was a challenge.

 

Mare Forfa (37:03):
Those basic science classes—or what we call the Nurse-Inspired Bridging Course—are essential. They provide the knowledge you need to approach the GAMSAT with confidence.

 

Dr Tom (38:01):
How did it feel when you finally got your offer for medicine?

 

Annikki (38:15):
Surreal. It took days to sink in. I’d worked so hard, but self-doubt lingered. When I got the email, I had to ask a friend to read it because I couldn’t believe it. My daughter’s reaction made it even more special—she was so proud and told everyone her mum was going to be a doctor.

 

Dr Tom (42:14):
That’s incredible. What advice would you give to someone just starting their GAMSAT journey?

 

Annikki (46:36):
Believe in yourself. People might say you’re “just a nurse” or can’t do it, but it’s not true. Nurses bring unique skills and perspectives that make them amazing doctors. You’ll never know unless you try, so just give it a go.

 

Dr Tom (48:13):
Brilliant advice. Thanks so much for sharing your story, Annikki. It’s going to inspire so many people.

 

Mare Forfa (50:56):
Absolutely. Keep us updated on your med school journey—we can’t wait to hear more!

Watch Now on YouTube:

Ready to Make This GAMSAT Your Last? Book a FREE 1-on-1 Call Now!

Before You Go — Get Your Freebie!

Click here download The GAMSAT Manifesto — our free GAMSAT study guide that has (so far) helped more than 60,000 people crush this highly unusual exam. Oh yeah, and did we mention…it’s free? 

voice
coming-soon-white-small

shop   blog  secret GAMSAT pyramid.  become a partner.

white-pan

Copyright thankflip 2021