Once again, it is time for updates! As many of you know, I will be graduating very soon- August 29th, to be exact. Next week will be my last week of classes, followed by a week to finish up clinic shifts, and then I will be suddenly ejected from the comfort of the OCOM nest that I have been residing in for the past four years. This end is bittersweet. I am truly going to miss the school, the clinic, and the friends I've made along the way. However, I have been working very hard over the past year and a half towards the next chapter and I am eager to dive headfirst into this adventure with all its unknowns.
I've been getting a lot of the same questions from people, so I thought it would be good to just include some information regarding my next steps and where I am at in the planning process. Here we go:
I've been getting a lot of the same questions from people, so I thought it would be good to just include some information regarding my next steps and where I am at in the planning process. Here we go:
- After graduation, I must wait for my transcripts and degree certificate to arrive before I can launch my application to the program at RMIT. This may take up to 4 weeks. (For more info on the program, click here: RMIT)
- In October, I will launch my application to the program. Then I must wait in agony and anticipation for a response, which I am told will not come until the end of December.
- In the next month, I will have booked my flight for the beginning of January 2015, along with my dog's flight and quarantine reservations. No turning back now! Since I am booking my arrival before knowing whether I have been accepted or not, I am planning to arrive on a Work/Holiday visa, which will allow me to stay in AU and
work for up to one year. If I am accepted into the program, I will then be staying in AU on a student visa for four years.
I hope this helps to clarify for anyone interested in this process. These are only the highlights and certainly do not represent the complex, time consuming, energy draining steps towards making this dream a reality. While I said the completion of my program at OCOM is bittersweet, I am still looking forward to a period of rest (if you can call it that), time to spend with friends and family, and a few months to wrap my head around what I am about to do, while putting it all in motion. Thank you again, everyone, for your support. Every notion of interest, every request for an update, and every "I'm so excited for you!" really does propel me forward. I apologize profusely to the people around me right now for being such a cranky zombie, and appreciate your tolerance as I move through these next few weeks with my serious pants securely fastened.
Questions, comments, etc-? Drop a line below or send me a private message by clicking here or 'Contact' at the top of the page.
- Part of whether I am accepted into the program at RMIT will depend on my ability to acquire scholarships. Two of the scholarships I am applying for are the Victorian International Research Scholarship and the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. These scholarships are meant to cover tuition, health insurance, and a modest living stipend.
- In November I will begin house hunting (although I have been combing through rental sites for over a year now), and I will hopefully find something decent, relatively affordable, and close to campus in Bundoora, Melbourne. "Affordability" in Melbourne is always relative as it is startlingly expensive to live there. A typical 1 bedroom apartment is easily $1,000-$1,200 per month without utilities factored in.
- I will also be applying for licensing in Australia, so that I may still practice part time. This process isn't too complex, but will take some time and is somewhat expensive- $1,250 in total. This is on top of the $2,300 it will end up costing me to take board exams and apply for licensing here in the states, so I am uncertain as to when this process will begin.
- I plan to leave the states on January 11th, 2015 and may not have the means to return during the four years that it will take me to complete my program there. The intention of this blog is to keep everyone updated via blog entries, vlogs, photos, etc. Additionally, I will be making use of Skype to keep in touch with family and friends.
I hope this helps to clarify for anyone interested in this process. These are only the highlights and certainly do not represent the complex, time consuming, energy draining steps towards making this dream a reality. While I said the completion of my program at OCOM is bittersweet, I am still looking forward to a period of rest (if you can call it that), time to spend with friends and family, and a few months to wrap my head around what I am about to do, while putting it all in motion. Thank you again, everyone, for your support. Every notion of interest, every request for an update, and every "I'm so excited for you!" really does propel me forward. I apologize profusely to the people around me right now for being such a cranky zombie, and appreciate your tolerance as I move through these next few weeks with my serious pants securely fastened.
Questions, comments, etc-? Drop a line below or send me a private message by clicking here or 'Contact' at the top of the page.