Enrolled Indigenous medical students have until the end of January to apply for a 2023 AMA Indigenous Medical Scholarship.
The scholarship helps an Indigenous medical student who has completed their first year with $10,000 per year for the remainder of their medical degree.
Financial stress is one of the biggest barriers to studying… I’ve witnessed Indigenous medical students drop out of medicine partly due to finances
Last year, the scholarship went to Malissa Hodgson and Cameron Howard.
Ms Hodgson – an Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara, Nunkuntjatjara, Keytej, Arabana, and Meriam woman from Alice Springs – said the scholarship allowed her the security to focus on her studies.
“Financial stress is one of the biggest barriers to studying… I’ve not been able to go home for funerals or for holidays and I’ve felt the stress of placements. I’ve witnessed Indigenous medical students drop out of medicine partly due to finances,” she said.
Ms Hodgson said the scholarship was not only an investment in her future, but the rural and remote communities that she will return to when she graduates.
“I hope to see more Indigenous medical students supported to achieve their studies to become doctors so we can have a culturally safe workforce, which will help close the gap in life expectancy.”
AMA President Professor Steve Robson said increasing the number of Indigenous doctors in the health system will help Close the Gap contributing to better health outcomes to First Nation’s patients.
“Not only is it important for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctor workforce to grow, but the health system, as a whole, benefits from the unique perspective brought to medicine by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors,” Professor Robson said.
Further information about the application process can be found on the AMA’s website.
