“I am Sayed Sahil Hashemi from Afghanistan and a graduate from the Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. I have always wanted to study medicine to help people in any way I possibly could. My dreams were big, but my opportunities were small. It wasn’t easy to achieve this goal in a country where we witnessed terror every day because of war and conflict,” – Sahil Hashemi, Hospital Medical Officer (HMO) at Northern Health.

Sahil is one of the many incredible International Medical Graduate (IMG) doctors working at Northern Health, who took part in the Transition to Practice (TTP) Observership. The program is designed to assist international doctors gain experience in the Australian healthcare system and smooth their transition upon entering the workforce. After completing his Observership in mid-2023, Sahil went on to successfully secure an HMO position at Northern Health.

However, this talented doctor’s journey, from training in his home country to becoming a doctor in Australia, wasn’t an easy one. Despite facing numerous challenges, including a Taliban bomb attack on the day of the entry exam, known as Kankor Examination, Sahil managed to secure admission to the highest ranked public medical faculty in Afghanistan, the Kabul University of Medical Sciences. His determination led him to study medicine, despite continuous security threats and his mother’s pleas to stay safe.

After graduating in March 2020, he passed the national exam for doctors with the highest marks and completed his internships in various hospitals around Kabul, before working for a year at Kausar Hospital. Sadly, his dreams crumbled before him when the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, leading to the government’s collapse and forcing him to seek refuge.

Now, with an opportunity to further his career in Australia, Sahil is committed to utilising all available resources to make a significant impact.

“The Transition to Practice Observership program was a stepping stone and played a vital role in my journey. It provided me with a clear understanding of the local healthcare environment, professional practices, and patient care standards, ultimately smoothing my transition and ensuring I was well prepared for my role as a training doctor in Australia,” said Dr Hashemi.

“Furthermore, it enabled me to demonstrate my clinical knowledge, commitment to patient safety, and passion for the profession,” he added.

Payal Rautwad from India, also completed the TTP and commenced working as a HMO at Northern Health two months ago. She says, “I firmly believe the stress that every international medical graduate feels before joining the Australian healthcare system can be mitigated through this Observership program.”

“I feel lucky to have had such an opportunity and all credit goes to the fantastic Observership team and everyone at Northern Health. This experience was invaluable, and I’m very grateful for it,” she adds.

Georgina van der Vliet, IMG Supervisor, says the IMG doctors are an incredibly resilient group who bring so much to Northern Health.

“Many of them are multilingual and mirror the diversity of the community we serve. Moving to a new country is difficult enough, but working in a different healthcare system while often speaking another language, adds another layer of challenge. I am incredibly grateful for the TTP Observership program, which helps individuals like Sahil and Payal transition more smoothly into practice,” she says.

Pictured in featured image

Top row (L-R): Payal Rautwad, IMG HMO, Georgina van der Vliet, IMG Supervisor, Sahil Hashemi, IMG HMO. 

Bottom row (L-R): Shafaq Binte Tariq, IMG HMO, Fathima Ijaza Lafeer, Medical Education Advisor.