She may have been having the time of her life going on rides at Movieworld yesterday, but Rockhampton Girls Grammar graduate Caitlin Bartlett has sure deserved it.
Caitlin was awarded 2017 Dux of School a few weeks ago for her hard work throughout her schooling.
"It was a surprise, I wasn't sure who would get it, there were a few girls who had done well," she said.
This morning, the 17 year-old is hoping her hard work has paid off even more as she awaits her OP results.
"Hopefully a one, up to three is okay but a one would be preferred," she said.
Following in her mother's footsteps, who is a Rockhampton GP, Caitlin has applied for a Bachelor of Medicine at James Cooke University.
"I like the course layout, and the rural aspect," she said.
Caitlin said Townsville appealed to her more than Brisbane universities.
"I like the concept of it more than the big cities," she said.
"We went up last week and had my interview and looked around the campus, everywhere is really nice."
Her mother's work at City Heart Medical influenced Caitlin.
"I have seen a lot of medicine, had a lot of hands on medicine and seen Mum at work," she said.
Another appealing factor for Caitlin was medicine was a progressive field.
"I like how it is constantly evolving and changing everyday," she said.
With many fields to choose from, Caitlin hasn't quite made her mind up just yet what she will specialise in.
"I'm thinking paediatrics, I love working with children," she said.
So far, Caitlin is on the right track to study medicine with biology as her favourite subject.
"I like how everything comes together," she said.
"I really enjoyed a lot of science based subjects."
A desire to help others through medicine has also stemmed from her background of growing up in South Africa.
Caitlin moved to Rockhampton when she was in grade two.
"You get to see a third world country, very poor medical standards, the stories you hear," she said.
"The villages, the poverty and the death, it breaks your heart and you want to help.
"Doing medicine you can help, you can go out into rural communities and help them where they don't have medical facilities."
And the face the degree is going to take at least six years isn't daunting at all.
"It;s definitely quite a long time, but you know I've been through schooling and that was pretty long," Caitlin said.
"If you really want to do it you'll get through it in the end."
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