"Stars aligned" for local Crookwell occupational therapy graduate Gemma O'Brien

Now she's working as the newest graduate at Canberra Health Services, after graduating alongside just 13 others.

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"When I applied they only took the top 30 ATARS because it was a new course, and I was included in that," Gemma said.

"It's pretty surreal because it's all just happened really quickly, I graduated and then next thing I was offered a new grad position with Canberra Health Services.

"The turn around was really quick and overwhelming, but I'm loving it."

Gemma enjoyed having access to the University of Canberra Hospital during her studies.

"It's a rehab hospital so it has wards and an outpatient clinic. It also has a teaching facility in it so I had quite a few of my classes within the hospital which was a really great experience," she said.

At Canberra Health Services, Gemma will have the opportunity to rotate through a variety of areas but said currently she had a particular interest in rehabilitation.

"I had a close friend who sustained a spinal cord injury in high school and because of that I'm quite interested in rehab and making modifications to the home environment," Gemma said.

"I'm also interested in using assistive technology and physical rehab to help keep people safe, independent and improve quality of life."

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Gemma said she had been surrounded by health growing up, her mum was a nurse and she worked in a pharmacy during high school.

During her final year of high school, Gemma's close family friend sadly passed away.

"She was an occupational therapist which I hadn't heard of before I met her, and I really looked up to her," she said.

"So that sort of sparked the interest in me and then miraculously, I received an email one day from the University of Canberra about their bachelor course.

"I thought you're kidding me, this is fate, the stars are aligning."

While there aren't many opportunities for occupational therapists in Crookwell, Gemma has always wanted to stay close to the sheep farm she grew up on.

"I am quite attached to the property, to the land that my dad has," she said.

"I want to be close to both my parents and the farm, and I love the Crookwell community as I still have a lot of friends and family there.

"Dad will definitely always count on me to come home and help out on the farm when I have a weekend free."

Gemma said she would encourage those who aren't sure about what they want to do to try and get experience in different areas.

"Who knows, the stars might align for you, but if they don't, it's all about trial and error.

"With our aging population there's always a demand for health workers, but the most important thing is believing in yourself, and if you can do that, you can make anything happen," Gemma said.

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