Randal Pittelli

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

Randal Pittelli is President of the UQ Medical Society.

“I chose UQ’s medical program over others for a variety of reasons. I was certainly looking for a bit of a cultural difference and a great environment, and Australia clearly offers these along with proximity to the South Pacific and South-East Asia," he said. 

"But the second I got off the plane for my interview in Brisbane, people were particularly friendly and welcoming – Brisbane has all the amenities of a large city yet still has that big town feel, where people are curious and approachable, and the city isn’t too large to escape whenever you want. Queensland’s nearly idyllic weather was an additional draw.

"I found the opportunity the Medical School offers for clinical placements in Brunei and rural areas quite appealing. It was also the only school offering first-year electives, during which I went to the Solomon Islands for seven weeks.

"I am pretty active in the UQ Medical Society, which has a membership of around 800 students. We run most of the social events and have nearly 30 representatives who sit on School academic committees and who really do affect policy. The Medical School is also quite responsive to the needs of international students, most recently working with us to allow additional clinical rotations overseas.

"My future plans include furthering my interest in developing world medicine, possibly picking up a Masters of Public Health degree while here, and definitely exploring more of this part of the world.”