As a child, Madeline Tomkins was seen often by paediatricians - and she hopes to become one after completing her studies through La Trobe University Albury-Wodonga.
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"I've been a type-one diabetic since I was four, so I've lived through the experience of paediatricians genuinely working for you and caring for you," she said.
"My plan is to finish my course in Wodonga, work really hard, hopefully get into the University of Melbourne Shepparton campus.
"I don't understand why I would have to move away from the community I'm intending on returning to for my career."
The first intake of students into the bachelor of biomedical science, part of the Murray Darling Medical School Network, took place last year.
Ms Tomkins said after making her decision to do medicine late in her last year at Wodonga Senior Secondary College in 2018, the new pathway was beneficial.
"In 2019, I took an educational gap year to go to a bridging course with at the University of Melbourne's agricultural college at Dookie," she said.
"It helped build up my chemistry - I didn't do that in school.
"I thought 'I'm not smart enough', so I'll do something else, like being a science teacher, but I decided to do medicine ... and it was too late to change my subjects."
The 19-year-old's ability to do medicine has been proven through her first semester, and she has also been selected for a scholarship program.
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Ms Tomkins will receive a bursary payment of $1000 and a further $16,000 across semester-based instalments, through the ARTC Inland Rail Skills Academy program.
The scholarship, which supports students along the Inland Rail alignment and is aimed at supporting rural workforces, has also been awarded to nursing student Dellareece Matson from Kilmore and Bachelor of Arts student Carris Leslie from Peechelba.
"It helps me financially with things like textbooks, resources and tutoring, and I'm planning on doing some volunteering overseas - if things calm down," Ms Tomkins said.
The aspiring paediatrician said her first semester had been enjoyable, despite the virus' impact.
"Only my workshops have gone online, my lectures already were - I think the regional branch, because I can't speak for the city, has done a really good job with the transition."
