Heather Park - BA, BSc, MBChB, MHSc

With a rural GP for a father and a nurse for a mother, alumna Heather Park has "health care in the blood".

Heather, who graduated with a Master of Health Sciences in Nursing with first class honours says the journey was long, but well worth the effort.

Heather's journey has also included a string of other academic qualifications: she holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and a Bachelor of Nursing.

"My other degrees helped point me in this direction. I've always loved being around people and I guess growing up in a health care family helped me realise that my true passion is nursing," she says.

Whilst working full-time as a nurse at the North Shore Hospital Emergency Department, Heather enrolled in the University's School of Nursing postgraduate programme on a part-time basis.

"I decided to enrol in the Masters programme because it's an internationally recognised formal qualification and is definitely good for career advancement.

"The health sector like many other workplaces is getting more and more competitive and you need an advanced qualification if you aspire to fill senior positions," she says.

Juggling study and full-time work was challenging enough, but Heather also taught tutorials for undergraduate nursing students at the University.

"Looking back, I wouldn't do it any other way. I enjoyed tutoring - it gives you a good balance and break from the clinical side of things.

"For me, it was also an opportunity to help give back to the University and to future nurses," says Heather.