A personal perspective on patient advocacy
Driven by her experiences, Maryam Mansour is determined to address health inequity
Growing up in a medical family, medicine was always a part of Maryam Mansour’s life. Surrounded by conversations about patient care and medical ethics, she never doubted that she wanted to be in this field.
Raised predominantly in urban Brisbane, Maryam attended several schools before graduating from the Queensland Academy through the International Baccalaureate programme. Medicine was always the end goal, with law as a backup plan, given her passion for solving people’s problems and advocating for justice. However, her perspective on healthcare was deeply shaped by her experiences visiting her home country, Egypt. There, she saw firsthand the stark disparities in health services—healthcare was not a right but a privilege, reserved for those in developed countries or for those who could afford to seek care abroad.
She watched as her fortunate family members travelled to Germany, America, and even Turkey in pursuit of better healthcare, highlighting the inequality and the dire need for change. Meanwhile, those in her family who were less fortunate—without the means to travel—were left to suffer through serious health challenges, unable to access what would be considered basic medical services in Australia. Seeing this heartbreaking reality at a young age made her question why healthcare access was so unequal and solidified her determination to be part of the solution. It inspired her to join “Doctors Without Borders” clubs at school, where she engaged in debates on healthcare ethics and access, and developed a passion for global health equity.
Maryam pursued her medical degree at Bond University, commencing in 2021. But not long after her journey began, she was involved in a high-speed motor vehicle accident that severely impacted her studies and her life. For months, she was unable to get out of bed, let alone keep up with the rigorous demands of medical school. Maryam barely made it through her first year, struggling through exams, often forced to leave midway due to the unbearable pain of sitting for too long. It was later that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition that had been progressively worsening, especially on days filled with long hours of standing, bending over patients, or enduring long car rides—which, in medicine, is almost every day.
This chronic pain has not only affected her physical health but has also challenged her very identity as a future doctor. Maryam has faced scepticism from senior doctors, sometimes being looked down upon for struggling to stand through long surgeries or ward rounds. There have been moments when she questioned whether she could truly pursue this career path. Yet, every flare-up, every challenging day has only fuelled her drive to be a better health professional. Living with chronic pain has given her an intimate understanding of vulnerability—of what it means to be at the mercy of her own body’s challenges, unable to control when or how it limits her. At the very least, she can medically comprehend her condition—but she cannot imagine how terrifying it must be for those without the health literacy to understand what they’re going through.
Witnessing the inequity
Through her medical training and personal experiences, she has witnessed the shortcomings of the Australian healthcare system, and it still shocks her how many people fall through the cracks—even in a developed country like Australia. There are glaring gaps in resource allocation, with some areas of medicine overfunded while others, such as rural and preventive healthcare, remain neglected. Workforce shortages—particularly in rural areas—leave many communities without consistent access to general practitioners and specialists, leading to preventable diseases progressing to critical stages.
Mental health and general practice services remain largely inadequate, with long wait times, limited bulk-billing doctors, and an overburdened workforce leaving patients without timely care. Issues with Medicare funding have further exacerbated these challenges, as out-of-pocket costs continue to rise, placing an even greater burden on already vulnerable populations. The system is reactive rather than proactive, often prioritising treatment over prevention, which leads to long-term strain on hospitals and primary care services.
It continues to surprise Maryam that Australia, a country with universal healthcare, fails in so many ways to provide timely and accessible care to those who need it most. Rural health, in particular, has become a passion because she sees the severe under-resourcing and lack of culturally aware practice that disproportionately affects rural and remote communities. As an ethnic Australian, she understands the importance of culturally sensitive healthcare and it’s impact on building trust and improving outcomes.
Advocating for change
Maryam strives to bridge these gaps, not only as a future doctor but as an advocate for systemic change. She wants to help improve the healthcare system from the inside out, advocating for vulnerable populations, and ensuring that no one feels unseen or unheard. Her experiences have taught her resilience and empathy—qualities that she believes are as crucial as medical knowledge in being a good doctor.
Despite the challenges, her vision remains clear: to contribute meaningfully to global health equity, to bring compassionate, culturally aware care to rural communities, and to help shape a healthcare system that serves everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. Maryam is driven not just by her passion for medicine but by her experiences as a patient, an advocate, and someone who understands the power of compassionate, equitable healthcare.
Maryam is in her final year of medical studies at Bond University. An avid traveller, Maryam has explored various parts of the globe, fostering a particular interest in rural and vulnerable populations.
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