ALEX Holliday has one word to describe how it feels taking the first step towards her dream career: surreal.
The St Paul's Catholic College Booragul dux, 18, received an offer this week to study a Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Newcastle.
"It's so surreal and just amazing," Alex said of gaining entry to the five year program.
"Going to uni is a big deal because I'm a first generation [in my family] student. It's such a big thing, being an Indigenous student and getting this opportunity.
"I have a big passion for Indigenous health and I'd love to give back and help communities empower themselves to have better health outcomes."
Alex, a Kamilaroi woman, said she was interested in critical care and doing "fly in fly out" work in rural communities.
"You're seeing people at their worst and can really make a difference," she said.
"I like the rush of it and how dynamic it is, it's something that's constantly changing, you never get the same thing.
"You can do anything with it, you have to know a bit about everything."
Alex received an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 97.90 and was an All Round Achiever, meaning she received results in the highest band possible for at least 10 units.
"Consistency was key, just from the beginning of year 12 and through the trials I just kept revising and revisiting," she said.
"The minimum ATAR [required for my degree] was 94 so I was just thinking about that number the whole year going 'I've got to do it, I've got to do it'.
"To do that as an Indigenous student is pretty good too because they don't always have the opportunities that I have."
Alex juggled study with sport and advocating for change.
She has been playing rugby league since she was nine and for Wests Newcastle since she was 14.
This year was the first she'd played for the women's A-grade side.
"It's a big part of who I am so it was really good to have that outlet from study, getting out of the books was something that really helped me stay motivated."
Alex's Community and Family Studies class with the help of their teacher Nicole Burns also worked with the Catholic Schools Office to have dispensers with free menstrual hygiene products installed in the St Paul's girls bathrooms.
She was on a three-person leadership team that met regularly with a steering committee to bring the idea to life.
The state government has installed dispensers in public schools.
"The big thing for us was establishing more equity in our school," she said.
"We don't know everyone's story, some kids at our school are definitely disadvantaged, so this was our way to say 'You can have the same opportunities as everyone else, still come to school, still be educated, not feel embarrassed'.
"It was breaking that stigma around menstruation."
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