Marita Bolic is a fourth-year undergraduate medical student at James Cook University in Cairns, Queensland. She is interested in the intersection of politics and healthcare – particularly in the context of increasing demands on health systems in Australia, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of an ACT Health Vacation Scholarship, Marita undertook her first research project in paediatric emergency medicine under the supervision of Dr Jamie Lew and Prof Drew Richardson. She has also been involved in research through the Australian Medical Student Association (AMSA)’s MedEd Division. Throughout her time in medical school, Marita has enjoyed the fast-paced, procedural aspects of medicine (particularly in critical care specialties); for this reason, she is particularly excited to attend ACEM’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting. She looks forward to building her networks and knowledge.