The ANZCA mentorship program was extremely helpful. I was matched with an SIMG consultant who helped me understand the Australian system and guided me through the exam process. She gave me viva practice, introduced me to a peer viva group, checked in on me regularly, and helped me stay on the right path.
My dream started when I was 12 years old.
I came to Logan, Queensland, as an exchange student. I went to school, stayed with an Australian family, and fell in love with Australia. I was there for only three weeks, but it was enough to change my life. I promised myself that one day, when I grew up, I would come back.
Many years passed. I built my career in Japan, completed my PhD, became a consultant anaesthetist and pain specialist, and had two lovely children. I was happy and fulfilled, but somewhere inside, I felt that something was still missing. Eventually, I remembered my childhood dream and thought, “Maybe now is the time.”
In 2024, I moved to Melbourne and started working as a provisional fellow. At the beginning, there was a lot to learn. I had been working as a consultant in Japan, so returning to a trainee role in a new country, a new health system, and a different culture was a big adjustment.
I learned that communication styles can be very different. I had been used to showing respect by being calm, quiet, and polite, but in Australia I gradually learned the importance of speaking up, explaining my thinking, and expressing confidence more clearly.
In 2025, I moved to Lismore, New South Wales, and slowly started to feel more settled. I began preparing for the ANZCA Final Exam, which was part of my SIMG pathway requirement.
The support I received in Lismore was incredible. Although our department did not have advanced trainees, my senior colleagues organised viva nights for me. Many consultants offered mock viva practice, shared study tips, and encouraged me throughout the process. My boss regularly checked in on me and asked how my preparation was going — almost like my mum!
It was not only anaesthetists who supported me. Surgeons, nursing staff, and other team members encouraged me emotionally. Their kindness helped me feel that I was not just working in the hospital, but becoming part of the community.
The ANZCA mentorship program was extremely helpful. I was matched with an SIMG consultant who helped me understand the Australian system and guided me through the exam process. She gave me viva practice, introduced me to a peer viva group, checked in on me regularly, and helped me stay on the right path.
Many other SIMGs working in different places across Australia supported me as well. Some of them barely knew me, but they still shared their advice, encouragement, and time so generously. I think they understood the journey in a special way because they had been through similar challenges themselves.
During my exam preparation, I studied with friends. We practised together, shared resources, encouraged each other, and supported each other when things felt difficult. I could not have made it through this difficult time without them.
In June 2026, I passed the ANZCA Final Exam on my first attempt.
Looking back, the exam was only one part of the journey. The bigger journey was moving to Australia, starting again, learning a new system, and slowly finding my feet.
The Australia I dreamed about when I was 12 years old is here. Not because everything was easy — nothing about this journey was easy — but because I found people who supported me, encouraged me, and helped me feel that I could keep going.