The journey from the VCE student to University and medical studies is highly competitive and never easy and for those undertaking a postgraduate degree in medicine, the graduate medical school admissions test-GAMSAT-designed to assess the capacity to undertake high-level intellectual studies in the medical and health professional programmes provides yet a further hurdle. Dr Nick Shearer completed his postgraduate medical studies at Deakin University before choosing and being accepted as an intern at the Northern Hospital Epping. In his dream of becoming a doctor he was immediately thrust into the incredible difficulty of not only managing the brutal responsibilities of internship but even more the harsh reality of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at the very interface between disease and treatment in a hospital tasked with frontline COVID-19 responsibilities. Donning personal protective equipment for the entire year and honing his communication skills with often frustrated and frightened patients and their relatives Nick has become a shining example of how good our medical personnel and profession can function and be in a time of deep crisis.For his insights please welcome Dr Nick Shearer to the conversation.