Hundreds gather for JCU’s O-week as admissions surge

JCU admissions are up 20 per cent this year, as hundreds of students from across Australia gather for this year’s O-week.

Orientation Week, or O Week, has begun at James Cook University's Smithfield campus, with first year students visiting the rainforest campus and becoming familiar with uni life. First year students Ella Daven and Liberty Berman-Hardman will both study a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University's Smithfield campus. Picture: Brendan Radke

James Cook University admissions are up 20 per cent this year, as hundreds of students gather for this year’s O-week.

School leavers had their holidays cut short on Monday, as 2600 students across JCU’s campuses began their tertiary education.

Former school captain and first year medical student Ella Daven said the beginning of her summer was spent nervously waiting for her acceptance letter, now she can’t wait to get stuck in.

“You put all that effort in … over Year 11 and 12 and you’re just waiting for the moment, waiting to see if it’s paid off,” Ms Daven said.

“I’ve always been into science but it came out when I was in Year 7 … when my nan went into open heart surgery and I saw what the rural healthcare system looks like.

“Finally being in the course after waiting for so long it’s just so surreal to be here.”

Distinguished Professor and Director of JCU’s Cairns Institute Stewart Lockie said a desire to live in the tropics and JCU’s unique course offering is what he believed was behind the surge in numbers.

Orientation Week, or O Week, has begun at James Cook University's Smithfield campus, with first year students visiting the rainforest campus and becoming familiar with uni life. First year students Ella Daven and Liberty Berman-Hardman will both study a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University's Smithfield campus. Picture: Brendan Radke

We’re up 20 per cent on last year here in Cairns and about 24 per cent overall,” Mr Lockie said.

“I think one thing here in Cairns is that we’ve got more programs that you can do end-to-end so students don’t need to transfer … and If you’re going to go to any regional city in Australia, which one would be better than Cairns?”

“As a living laboratory for what you’re doing, you’ve got the most incredibly diverse and interesting communities, the most incredible environment … it’s right there from the beginning of your degree.”

This year’s intake at JCU’s Cairns campus is made up of 500 students split across mainly medical, dentistry and science faculties.

For fellow first year medical student Liberty Berman-Hardman her dreams of becoming a doctor always felt out of reach, her advice for prospective high schoolers was natural gifts aren’t always the only way to stand out.

“I always thought that medicine was really out of my grasp,” Ms Berman-Hardman said.

“But I worked really, really hard to get in and to make myself stand out.

“I think hard work can always beat talent, I think that’s a big thing.”

Originally published as Hundreds gather for JCU’s O-week as admissions surge