Connected Conversations | Neha Kasture

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

My name is Neha Kasture. I’m a medical student and have completed five years of my studies so far. I took a year off in 2021 to complete an honours degree in the field of psychiatry. I’m originally from New Zealand, but I’ve been in Adelaide for almost six years now so it’s definitely become a second home to me! Outside of studying, I have a lot of hobbies (almost too many). I sing, play various musical instruments (mostly flute and violin at the moment), arrange music, paint, write poetry, and have recently taken up samba dance classes. I enjoy the occasional day being out and about in nature amongst the trees or along the coast, especially with a good friend.

I went straight into medicine from high school. I was tossing up between doing an initial degree in music, staying in New Zealand and taking the undergraduate pathway into medicine, or going in a completely different direction and doing an arts degree in psychology or sociology. I felt like medicine was the best of most worlds (a study of the whole body including the mind, a people-focused job, and the ability to continue arts as a hobby) and, logistically, Adelaide was the best choice for me. I remember arriving in Adelaide for my medical school interview with my sister, and I absolutely fell in love with this quirky city (particularly the amount of vegetarian food around the place, the beach, and, of course, Rundle Mall). I know a lot of people who did an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences as part of medicine to upskill in research skills before entering the workforce, so the idea of doing an honours year has always appealed to me. 

What has been your journey to get where you are today? 

I was attracted to a lot of potential career options while growing up (as probably most kids are), ranging from being a pilot, a historian, a zoologist, a musician or actress, to being a veterinarian. When I was 16, I decided to move from my regional centre in New Zealand to Auckland for boarding school for a better education, which was a big change considering I left all my friends and family back in my hometown and essentially started completely fresh! It was during this time that I decided to pursue medicine.

I did not expect to study overseas — and certainly not in Adelaide. I don’t think I had even heard of Adelaide until that year. Once I made the move across the ditch and entered  medical school, I remember feeling overwhelmed and excited by the new environment and, as my journey continued, the sheer amount of potential career pathways! I think, as I went through medicine, I realised how fundamental research is in becoming a competent clinician and I felt like it was a knowledge gap I needed to fill before graduating – and now I’m here! It’s awesome that both medicine and research allows for such diverse career paths.

What are you working on now? 

My honours project was on treatment expectations in adolescents with depression in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study, and how social determinants of health impact these expectations. I really liked this project as it’s an intersection between two areas I’m passionate about – youth mental health and public health. Findings could have interesting implications for both future research and clinical practice in a field that is incredibly relevant right now (especially with COVID-19). This definitely kept me motivated!

What do you love most about the University of Adelaide?

I love the city of Adelaide – the beautiful gardens, sandstone buildings, the beach, the hills, and the sheer convenience of everything compared to larger cities. I also love the extracurricular opportunities the University has provided, with music, sports and various clubs and committees.

What inspired you to pursue a career in health?

I’ve always loved English, arts, and the sciences, and I really enjoy working with people in teams — all of which are components of working in health. In my final years of high school, I saw the impacts of illness — particularly mental illness — first-hand, and how it changed the lives of both individuals and the entire community. This gave me the final push to pursue a career in health!