Team Northern Territory has taken out the 2026 Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) National Convention Case Competition, beating Monash University in the final.

The team included Year 3 Flinders NT medical student Peter Susanto, Charles Darwin University students Ayesha and Sharon, and Darwin local Darshi, who studies medicine at Adelaide University. They stood out by tackling a real-world regional emergency obstetrics and public health scenario.

“It was such an honour to represent Team NT, bringing our lived experience and medical knowledge to address a regional emergency obstetrics and public health management scenario,” Peter says.

The path to the title was not easy. “None of us knew each other until we met at the convention. We didn’t even know about the case competition until the evening after it was released,” Peter says. Sharon fell ill partway through developing the case presentation but pushed through to finish her section, and Darshi stepped in as a substitute for the live final.

The team put in long hours and skipped social events to focus on their presentation. Their understanding of regional health and cultural context gave them the edge. “Our stronger understanding of regional health and cultural contexts, gained by studying and living in the NT, gave us the advantage,” Peter says.

Their win highlights the depth of medical talent in the Northern Territory. “I truly hope this win proves just how much talent we have in the NT and all regional communities, showing that we can stand on the same national stage as the major cities,” Peter says.