MAS Gamechangers: Michaela Rektorysova

Rebel with a cause

No one said med school would be easy. But when medical student Michaela Rektorysova reached the end of her first year, she realised there were more barriers than anticipated.

So she used her learnings to level the playing field. 

The problem with private tutoring.

After the first year of study, 1,000 medical students are culled to just 300. So everyone's looking to get a leg up. On top of regular lectures and tutorials, students are encouraged to get extra tutoring to improve their chances. But with external companies charging an arm and a leg, that wasn't financially feasible for Michaela. And even after getting a scholarship to cover the costs, she was still unsuccessful. 

This got her thinking, if she got the private tutoring and still failed, what about students who couldn't afford it? Disheartened but not defeated, Michaela not only reapplied the next year – she made sure other students wouldn't be left out in the rain. It was time to create a free alternative that anyone could join. 

A covert operation.

Launching a workshop is no easy feat – especially with no funding. So Michaela and fellow student Vanamali Joseph got to work. First on the agenda: finding a free space to hold the workshops. Since students weren't allowed to set up workshops in university meeting rooms, they'd book the rooms using an alias. 

Eventually they scored funding from student association Niesh, who gave them a printing budget for study guides and booklets. More than 50 student volunteers stepped up to help out and just like that, Michaela and Vanamali had launched a completely free interview workshop. 

The workshop.

The main purpose of the workshop is to prepare first year students for the final interview. This was the stage where Michaela herself failed, so she knew this workshop needed to nail it. No matter how hard you've hit the books, this final interview can make or break you. There were so many students eager to get in on the sessions, the sign-up site crashed within minutes of launching. 

Much like the real interview, the workshop participants would be tested in a range of realistic, medical scenarios to see how they cope under pressure. From a dad yelling about prescribing contraception pills to his daughter, to giving a child the wrong medication – the volunteers didn't hold back.

"Sweat more in practice, bleed less in battle."

A humble legacy.

Not keen to toot her own horn, Michaela says the best part is hearing from other students how the workshops helped. Her efforts offer a lesson in turning failure into opportunity. And also, 'sticking it to the man'.

Now she's nearing the end of her study, she wants to be less hands on so other students can take the reins. Next up, Michaela wants to create more awareness and secure more sponsorship to keep the workshop going after she's gone. 

So if you think you can help, get in touch at mock.mmi.uoa@gmail.com.