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With election season for UNSW’s prolific Medical Society on the horizon, suspicions are high after whispers of Russian meddling in Moodle ballots. This is shaping up to be the most polarising election in recent memory. Facebook status updates urging voters to “be on the right side of history” in the face of contentious plans for new medical schools have increased exponentially.
With a controversial wild-card candidate Ronald Tram quickly gaining popularity, many have begun to worry that the MedFac favourite, Hayley Collin, will not be the one swearing in the Hippocratic oath in a few months’ time. Mr Tram, Instagram-famous and renowned college frat boy, entered the race after taking a drunk dare from his friends way too seriously.
Those particularly fond of MedFac’s regime are pushing for Ms Collin to win. After serving as secretary in 3rd year and dating a past MedSoc president, she is on good terms with staff and well-versed in MedSoc proceedings. However, many are looking to “shake things up”, enraged at the new medical schools “stealing our jobs”.
The Jugular reached out to the current serving president, Mr Ke Sun, for a statement.
“I realise a lot is at stake here,” Mr Sun commented, nodding diplomatically. “I trust that voters will decide what’s best. It has been my great honour to serve,” he concluded emphatically, the national anthem blaring over The Whitehouse speakers seemingly on cue.
Late last Tuesday, in the early hours of the morning, Mr Tram made an Instagram post with the caption, “I’ve got some big friends from my elective in Russia. Tremendous at computers! They’ll expose phoney Hayley for what she is: A TEACHER’S PET! Prepare for me to win bigly.” The accompanying picture depicted him holding his pet pussycat rather aggressively.
When followed up by our team regarding his allusion to Russian hackers, Mr Tram said, “Why are you focusing on me, huh? How about those missing 300 emails between Hairy Colon (sic) and MedF*ck (sic)? Very bad stuff. Very dodgy.”
Celebrity med-students such as Nora Sermon and Jack Chang are urging students to fact-check candidates and vote when ballots open. After a raucous debate last Thursday evening in LG03, tensions are higher than ever. In the meantime, the future of MedSoc seems unclear.
(The debate can be watched here.)