Filomeno 'Fil' Villon III
My tutors have been the most approachable teachers I’ve ever had
I wanted to study nursing because as a child, I grew up surrounded by many health professionals who were all so inspiring and I wanted to be just like them. I remember being introduced to the world of healthcare from an early age. My earliest memory of wanting to become a nurse was when I held a stethoscope for the first time. It was at that point that everything changed.
I chose to study at UTS because it is the number one university for nursing in Australia. The City campus was also the most conveniently located for me. Getting here is very easy on public transport and there are plenty of great restaurants nearby.
Before starting at UTS I studied a Bachelor of Nursing back at home in the Philippines. I’ve worked overseas as a nurse in ICU at a hospital and also as a company nurse in a four-star hotel in Singapore. Before I came to UTS, I took a break from nursing and taught English. I later returned to nursing because I know it’s my true calling.
The most rewarding aspect of this course so far has got to be my clinical placements. They’ve been the best part of the degree by far. Australia has a unique healthcare system which is unlike any other country I’ve worked in before.
One of the greatest memories I’ve had on placement was looking after elderly patients. Before studying at UTS, I rarely had the opportunity to look after the elderly. While I was on my placement I had the chance to do so and it was a really nice experience. When you are looking after people of diverse backgrounds and ages, it can become quite complicated. My efforts were always rewarded though and seeing patients smile at the end of the day is extremely motivating.
I wanted to study in Australia because I heard so many amazing things about this country. Australia was one of the top countries I wanted to practice nursing in. I’ve found so many amazing things to do here, I’ve never been bored. Australia is the best place to be.
My advice for future international students is to definitely consider studying at UTS. International students have access to a number of facilities and services such as UTS HELPS, the UTS Library and even your tutors help you familiarise yourself with studying in a new country. My tutors have been some of the most approachable teachers I’ve ever had. They’ve helped me familiarise myself with studying in a new country and were always very helpful.
Looking forward, I hope to gain more experience nursing here in Australia. I would like to continue studying and working here. I’m thinking about taking on a Master’s after graduation – at UTS of course!
