Ep 8: Case Study From Physiotherapist to Medicine

Dr Tom (00:16) Welcome everyone. Welcome back to the Nurses Doing GAMSAT podcast. I’m Dr Tom, and we’ve got Mare here as well. In a second, we’ll introduce our special guest for today. But first, Mare, how are you going?

Mare Forfa (00:24) No! I am exhausted after a very eventful long weekend. Tom, maybe you can tell the story of what happened, but let’s just say my weekend was not as relaxing as I would have liked. Actually, no—it was exciting, just not in the way I had planned.

Dr Tom (00:44) Yeah, it was the Australia Day long weekend. On Friday, I think it was, we thought our daughter had a UTI. So, Mare was off to the minor injuries clinic because the GP wouldn’t see us.

Mare Forfa (00:56) Yep, not the ED, just the minor injuries clinic, okay? Because the GP wouldn’t see me.

Dr Tom (00:58) Turns out, false alarm—she was just dehydrated.

Mare Forfa (01:03) Yeah, but do you know what it’s like trying to get a seven-year-old to pee in a cup in a public toilet? My God.

Dr Tom (01:14) Yeah, and we didn’t want to wait the whole weekend without knowing what was going on. But then, on Sunday night, I woke up at 4 am with my heart racing. It wouldn’t slow down, and I thought, this isn’t right. I went to the ED before Mare woke up and sent her a text saying, Hey, I’m in the ED. I think it’s supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). But when they hooked me up to the ECG, they were like—

Mare Forfa (01:20) Yeah, fun times!

Dr Tom (01:44) They said it was irregular heartbeats. And I thought, No, don’t say that! Turns out it was atrial fibrillation (AF), but I had no symptoms. I was just sitting there, reading my book, and my heart was racing at 150–160 bpm. They kept me overnight to monitor it, but eventually, it went back to normal on its own. It was definitely an eye-opening experience.

Mare Forfa (02:29) Yeah, particularly for me as your wife, waking up to a text message that you were in the ED. I turned up and told the admin lady, I’m here to see my husband. He left for the ED without telling me and sent me a text. I need you to revive him so I can kill him with my bare hands. She just laughed and said, Got it. He’s in bed 24.

Dr Tom (03:01) Did you actually say that to them?

Mare Forfa (03:01) Yes, I did. And she totally got me.

Dr Tom (03:10) Okay, moving on! Today, we’ve got an incredible guest with us—Gugu, a second-year medical student at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle. She started as a physiotherapist, and we’re here to hear about her journey into medicine, the ups and downs, and everything in between. Welcome, Gugu!

Gugu (03:48) Hey! Hi, Tom and Mare. Thank you so much for having me.

Dr Tom (03:51) We’re so excited to have you here. Let’s start with your background—you’re a physio, but you always wanted to be a doctor. How did that transition happen?

Gugu (04:09) Actually, it was the other way around! I always wanted to be a doctor, but I became a physio first. Since I was a kid, I always said I wanted to be a doctor. There was a phase where I told my mum I just wanted to be a mummy when I grew up, and she said, That’s great, but what else? She tried to guide me into thinking about career options. But medicine was always the plan.

As I got older, I realised it wouldn’t be easy, so I started thinking about backup plans. In school, we had career planning sessions where they’d try to help you figure out your path. I used to walk in and say, You can skip me—I already know what I want to do. But then, I started considering alternative pathways just in case.

Dr Tom (05:47) So, you chose physiotherapy as a strategic step towards medicine?

Gugu (05:55) Exactly. It was still in healthcare, gave me exposure, and if I changed my mind, I had a solid career. I didn’t know much about physio at first, but I launched into it thinking, This will help me get to medicine eventually.

Mare Forfa (07:35) How long was it between graduating and when you seriously started preparing for the GAMSAT?

Gugu (07:52) Longer than it should have been! I told myself I’d start during uni, but it was too full-on. Then I thought, After I graduate, but the transition to full-time work was overwhelming. In my second year as a physio, I started loving it and thought, Maybe I can do this forever. But then, my parents sat me down and asked, Will you be happy if you never even try? That question hit me hard.

Dr Tom (08:56) Wow. That’s a powerful question.

Gugu (09:19) It really was. It made me realise I had to at least try. So, I finally committed to GAMSAT study.

Mare Forfa (12:53) It’s so easy to let time slip away once you start working and earning money. You get used to the lifestyle, the freedom, the holidays. It’s great that your parents pushed you to reflect on what you really wanted.

Gugu (14:27) Exactly! I realised that the fear of failing was holding me back. I thought, What if I try and don’t get in? But my parents flipped it—What if you never try at all? That changed everything.

Dr Tom (17:14) So, how did you juggle full-time work with GAMSAT prep?

Gugu (17:37) Honestly, at first, I didn’t manage it well. I kept procrastinating—suddenly, everything seemed more interesting than studying. But I learned that motivation alone isn’t enough. You need discipline. Eventually, I structured my time, prioritised my study, and treated it like a second job.

Mare Forfa (30:51) And now, you’re in med school! What’s the most exciting part so far?

Gugu (31:10) Just realising, I made it! That first day, sitting in orientation, I couldn’t believe I was there. Everyone felt the same—we all had imposter syndrome, like they might say, Oops, mistake—please leave. But now, I love it. I’m finally seeing the other side of healthcare.

Dr Tom (40:02) If you could give one piece of advice to healthcare professionals considering med school, what would it be?

Gugu (40:13) Ask yourself: Will I be happy if I never even try? If the answer is no, then go for it. The time will pass anyway, so you might as well spend it chasing your dream.

Mare Forfa (48:27) Gugu, thank you so much for sharing your journey. Your story will inspire so many people!

Dr Tom (49:19) Yes, thank you! And to our listeners—if this resonated with you, jump into our Nurses Doing GAMSAT Facebook group and connect with others on the same path. See you next time!