Graduation ceremony oration

Abstract

In this oration delivered at the University of Malta postgraduate graduation ceremony, Dr Lara Sammut reflects on the personal and academic journey that led to her PhD in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Drawing parallels between her clinical work as a radiographer and her own experiences of uncertainty in early pregnancy, she explores the emotional weight of “wait and see” in threatened miscarriage cases. Her doctoral research examined the predictive value of first-trimester ultrasound and biochemical markers in women presenting with threatened miscarriage, arguing for more intelligent, ethical, and compassionate approaches to women’s health. The oration highlights the habits of inquiry, perseverance through doubt, and responsibility that define postgraduate study, while calling for research that informs both clinical practice and societal dialogue on miscarriage. It concludes with a message to graduands, families, and future generations about staying curious, staying responsible, and refusing to accept “good enough.”