Cambodian Student Exchange Program

On Monday 18 March, 2012 Miss Souguech Heng (Souguech) & Miss Suonchakrya Lok (Rya), two Cambodian medical students commenced an eight week elective at the Children's Hospital, Westmead. Subsidised accommodation was provided by the Children's Hospital and the Dr. Carl Richard Jackson Foundation assisted with a donation towards their living expenses.

Souguech and Rya were both third year medical students with placements at the Cambodian National Paediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh.

During their stay, Cathy and Brian had the opportunity to show Souguech and Rya around Sydney, which was a lovely experience for us all. We visited Taronga Zoo and the Blue Mountains, which gave them an opportunity to see not only our harbour but also a landscape so different to their homeland.

Tom Morley, who had recently completed his Elective Scholarship in Cambodia also took the opportunity to meet with Souguech and Rya and discuss their current Medical studies and his intention to visit Cambodia and work as a Doctor in the near future.





In January 2013, Souguech and Rya welcomed Joshua Serov when he was on his placement in Phnom Penh. Joshua said it was wonderful to meet with them and their friends and experience hospitabilty Cambodian style.

We hope that Exchange programs like this one will become the norm as they provide such a wonderful educational opportunity as well as establish global friendships and networks.