Lachlan MacMillan's route to medicine has been anything but traditional. After leaving school to become a carpenter, he spent years working across rural and remote Australia, from cattle stations and horseback tours to conservation work in the Kimberley, before a series of medical emergencies sparked an unexpected passion for healthcare.

Now studying medicine through the School of Rural Health in Dubbo, Lachlan reflects on the family support, mentors and life experiences that helped him pursue a career he once thought was beyond his reach.

His story is a powerful reminder that there is no single pathway into medicine, and that sometimes the most rewarding journeys are the least expected.