Are you living your childhood dream?

Whether it was flying in a rocket, digging up dinosaur bones or winning an Oscar, we all had big dreams as children. 

But how many of those dreams came true? We spoke to students who graduated from The University of Queensland (UQ) to find out.

As a student at UQ, you have access to world-class educators, endless extracurricular opportunities and a safe and welcoming learning environment. These can all help turn your aspirations into a meaningful career.

Ai Xin is from Malaysia and is a graduate from UQ’s Bachelor of Biomedical Science. She’s well on the way to realising her childhood dream of a career in medicine.

Anna Xu, from China, was a PhD candidate at UQ, majoring in renewable energy.

Childhood dreams

Ai Xin says her childhood dream was to become a doctor.

“As a child, I envisioned a future where I could directly impact lives. The idea of being a doctor – someone who could diagnose, treat and bring comfort to those in need – kind of ignited a passion within me,” she says.

“I think that's because when I was a child, I was fascinated with the human body and wanted to contribute to the wellbeing of others.”

Anna tells us that her childhood dream was to become a teacher, as she has always been motivated to provide guidance and knowledge to others. She hopes to use her qualifications to teach others about the field of renewable energy.

The University of Queensland impact

Ai Xin says she was lucky enough to visit Australia while growing up. So, once she completed her schooling, she was excited to be offered a scholarship to UQ. Through her degree, she not only learned the foundations of medicine, but also took part in many other aspects of university life. She was the sponsorship director of the Malaysian Students’ Association and played with the UQ basketball team. 

“These activities really helped me develop my communication and teamwork skills,” she says.

Anna adds that studying at UQ helped her stay focused on her career goals by being surrounded by classmates and teachers who shared a common objective.

“I enjoyed being on campus because I believe that working in a school environment helped keep me [young at heart],” she says.

“I enjoyed the discussions on research topics with my supervisors and fellows.”

UQ also provides student support, career counselling and the chance to network, socialise and develop skills outside the classroom through clubs, societies and events.

Broadening horizons

We asked both Ai Xin and Anna how UQ has helped them get closer to their childhood dreams.

“I was involved in the UQ summer research scholar program twice. That's when I noticed that biomedical science is not just to get into medicine – there are other aspects [too],” Ai Xin says.

“Research is really broad, and a lot of things are still quite new and unknown. I think the experience from the UQ summer research program ignited my interest to pursue research as well."

Anna says her childhood dream of being a teacher is now aligned with an aspiration to make meaningful contributions to her chosen research field.

“In terms of my career plan, my primary preference is to remain within the academic sphere to pursue further research,” she says.

“If I am fortunate enough, I aspire to secure a teaching role, seek project funding to bolster my extensive research, and acquaint more UQ students with my field of study.”