Dress colour was the only thing separating identical Nambour twins Jessica and Caitlan Gibbs as they crossed the stage to receive the same degree at the same USC graduation ceremony.

The sisters, who turned 21 in May, were excited to officially graduate together on Wednesday 29 September after both completing a Bachelor of Biomedical Science.

“Studying alongside Jess has been both helpful and fun; we studied together for exams and worked on assignments together easily,” said Caitlan, who will do further study in 2022 to boost her laboratory skills.

“Having my twin alongside me throughout the three years has been an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.” 

Jess, who is keen to do research in medical microbiology and intends to study Honours at USC next year, also loved the close support.

“While navigating university life, I wasn’t alone,” Jess said. “I had my best friend by my side through it all.” 

The Burnside State High School graduates said study highlights included work placements with Queensland Health in cardiac science, based at Prince Charles Hospital and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

“This allowed us to develop and link our knowledge and skills learnt from our biomedical studies to the medical industry,” they said.

“During the degree, we developed clinical and communication skills in laboratory classes and tutorials while increasing our understanding of the body’s pathology to various diseases.”