Student incentives for undertaking rural clinical placements in Western Australian

Transcription

1 Student incentives for undertaking rural clinical placements in Western Australian The Western Australian Clinical Training Network (WACTN) has developed this guide for students of the health professions in Western Australia seeking support to undertake a rural/remote clinical placement. A diverse range of student scholarships and other supports are available to assist students to undertake a clinical placement in a rural or remote area of Western Australia. The guide has two sections: 1. support for rural/remote clinical placements available to health profession students in Western Australia; and 2. rural/remote academic scholarships for health profession students. The guide is colour coded according to health discipline: For students of Medicine and Dentistry For students of Nursing and Midwifery For students of Allied Health and Health Sciences For students of All Health Professions Other resources: Other resources which list general academic scholarships and information for health profession students are available at: o Rural Health West; o university scholarship web pages such as those offered by Curtin University; ECU; UWA; Notre Dame Fremantle; o my future website hosted by the Federal Government (search for clinical placement or your particular discipline); o my health career scholarships website; and o The Rural Placements Guide published by the National Rural Health Students Network. 1

2 1. SUPPORT FOR RURAL AND REMOTE CLINICAL PLACEMENTS AVAILABLE TO HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS IN WA Type / Name of incentive Medicine and Nursing and Allied health & Travel Accommodation Living Relocation Other dentistry midwifery health sciences expenses costs AMSA Indigenous Health Elective Bursary X X X AMSA Rural Health Elective Bursary X X X Country Allied Health Student Travel Grants X X CRANAplus Undergraduate Remote Placement X X X X Scholarship Curtin University School of OT rural fieldwork payment X general costs of placement Dental Training Expanding Rural Placements X X Program John Flynn Placement Program X X X X Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme - Allied Health Clinical Placement X X X X Scholarship Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme - Aboriginal Medical Services Clinical Placement Scholarship X X X X Supervision payment to the hosting organisation Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme - Emergency Department Clinical Placement Scholarship Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme - Rural and Remote Clinical Placement Scholarship Rural Clinical School of WA X X X X X X X X X Supervision payment to the hosting hospital Supervision payment to the hosting organisation or educational institution Rural Medical Scholarships Australian Rotary X Health Rural Pharmacy Student Placement Allowance X X X Reimburse some costs of placement University of Notre Dame University Australia Nursing and Midwifery rural accommodation X X Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) Accommodation Geraldton and Mt X X X Magnet Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) rural accommodation X X X X 2

3 Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) Indigenous Health Elective Bursary Health Discipline Funding Body Medicine Australian Medical Students Association Indigenous Health Elective Bursary A bursary to help with the cost of undertaking a medical degree elective with an Indigenous health service provider within Australia. Placements must be for a minimum of 4 weeks (except where the compulsory period set by their university for undertaking an elective is shorter than 4 weeks) Between $250 and $1,000 In order to receive the full bursary, students will need to provide tax receipts for travel, accommodation and any other costs outlined by the winners in their application. Students must: be currently enrolled in an Australian medical school; be a member of their rural health club; and write an application that includes elective location, date of elective, length of elective, what aspects of elective the funding will be used to support and a 750 word essay. Recipients of a John Flynn Scholarship, past Australian Medical Students Association bursary and member of the current Australian Medical Students Association Executive are ineligible to apply. Electives must be undertaken with an Indigenous health service provider within Australia. Electives in Indigenous health which are not in RA3-5 classified areas must be undertaken in an Indigenous Health Service (as recognised by National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and must not be in the student s city of origin or city in which they are studying. Student commitments Bursary recipients must meet the following requirements: Minimum four week elective placement; Elective must be undertaken with an Indigenous Health Service Provider within Australia; and Submission of a 750 word report outlining experiences and benefits of the opportunity at completion of the placement. Australian Medical Students Association Website: 3

4 Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) Rural Health Elective Bursary Health Discipline Medicine Australian Medical Students Association Rural Health Elective Bursary A bursary to help with the cost of undertaking a medical degree elective in a rural area. Elective placements under the bursary must be for a minimum of four weeks, except where the compulsory elective period in the course of study is for a shorter period, then the elective must be for the entire allocated time. The bursary does not cover the compulsory four weeks rural rotation required by most Medical Schools in Australia. Between $250 and $1,000 For the purpose of this scholarship, rural is defined as Remoteness Area Classification 3-5 Student requirements Students must: be currently enrolled in an Australian medical school; be a member of their rural health club; and write an application that includes elective location, date of elective, length of elective, what aspects of elective the funding will be used to support and a 750 word essay. Recipients of a John Flynn Scholarship, past Australian Medical Students Association bursary and member of the current Australian Medical Students Association Executive are ineligible to apply. Student commitments Bursary recipients must meet the following requirements: Minimum four week elective placement; Elective must be undertaken in a rural health setting or with an Indigenous Health Service Provider within Australia; and Submission of a 750 word report outlining experiences and benefits of the opportunity at completion of the placement. Australian Medical Students Association Website: 4

5 Australian Rotary Health - Rural Medical Scholarships Health Discipline Scholarships offered Medicine Australian Rotary Health To provide an incentive for medical students to complete one year working in a rural area. It is hoped the positive experience of rural life and the fellowship of Rotarians will encourage students to practice medicine in rural Australia. Length of Rural Clinical School placement (usually 43 or 44 weeks) 63 Australia wide each year for medical students attending the 15 Rural Clinical Schools in Australia $5,500 per year 63 scholarships available Australia wide for medical students attending one of the 15 Rural Clinical Schools in Western Australia. A letter of application is required outlining applicant s career plans and reasons for applying. Australian Rotary Health PO Box 3455 Parramatta NSW 2214 Website: Phone:

6 Country Allied Health Student Travel Grants Health Discipline Allied Health Administered by Rural Health West on behalf of the Western Australian Clinical Training Network this project has received funding from the Australian Government. To support eligible Allied Health students undertaking clinical placements within country Western Australia in Student commitments Total grant allocation is between $150 - $550. Grants are allocated based on the distance travelled between the student s university and the country town in which the placement is being undertaken. Applicants must: be studying an eligible allied health undergraduate/graduate entry degree; be a permanent Australian resident; be undertaking a continuous clinical placement of 4 weeks duration or more; be positioned in a placement that o is located in Western Australia, and o involves travel of greater than 80km from the Perth CBD (for Perth based Campuses) or 80km from the Bunbury CBD; not apply for more than one Country Allied Health Student Travel Grant per calendar year; and not have secured bursaries or scholarships from other sources (most notably the NAHSS Clinical Placement Scholarships). Students are expected to complete the clinical placement Workforce Development Business Coordinator Rural Health West Phone: Website: 6

7 CRANAplus (formerly Centre for Remote Area Nursing in Australia) Undergraduate Remote Placement Scholarship Health Discipline Nursing CRANAplus To offer financial assistance to support undergraduate students who are interested in working in remote regions of Australia and provide an opportunity to experience a remote health setting first hand. Length of final year clinical placement Up to $1,000 per applicant, per remote placement. These funds can be applied to the cost of fares, accommodation, and other incidental costs incurred by a student undertaking an undergraduate placement in a remote area of Australia. Student commitments To be eligible for a scholarship the applicant must be: A current CRANAplus student member; Enrolled as a full time student in a health discipline at an Australian university; Member of a University Rural Health club; An Australian citizen or have permanent residency status. Students are required to write up a 500 word summary of their experience for inclusion in the quarterly CRANAplus magazine. CRANAplus Website: https://crana.org.au Phone:

8 Curtin University Rural Fieldwork Payment for Occupational Therapy students Health Discipline Occupational Therapy Curtin University School of Occupational Therapy To assist final year Curtin University Occupational Therapy students with the costs of attending full time rural clinical practice placements This payment is available for final year 7-week practicum placements in a rural area. Payments are available for all students on rural placements in their final year, except those placed with a mining company. $300 payment per 7 week full time final year placement. Payments are made per placement, except for mining company placements, where transport, accommodation, food and some clothing are paid for by the host placement provider. Applicants must be enrolled in the final year of Occupational Therapy at Curtin University Student commitments Students are expected to complete the 7-week fieldwork placement Nigel Gribble Director of Fieldwork School of Occupational Therapy Curtin University Phone:

9 Dental Training Expanding Rural Placements Program (DTERP) Health Discipline Student commitments How to apply Dentistry Administered by the University of Western Australia Dental School on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health. To improve the availability of rural dental care and strengthen the rural dental workforce. The Program provides academic support to students on clinical placement and assistance for relocation costs incurred by students. 7 weeks Applicants must be enrolled in Doctor of Medical Dentistry at the University of Western Australia. Clinical placements must be undertaken in rural training settings (Australian Standard Geographic Classification Remoteness Areas 2-5). Travel to up to 3 rural sites during the student year. Student relocation costs such as travel and accommodation, university clinical supervision in rural and remote areas, academic staff and administrative support the University of Western Australia Dental School John Cochrane Oral Health Centre of WA University of Western Australia Dental School Phone: or Information about DTERP is available on the Department of Health website at: 9

10 John Flynn Placement Program Health Discipline Medicine Administered by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health. Students undertake a placement in the same rural or remote community for a minimum of two weeks per year, normally over a four year period. Placements can be undertaken in a supervised general practice, hospital, Aboriginal Medical Service or other medical facility that provides primary care. Students are placed with a medical practitioner who acts as a mentor. Students are also encouraged to gain a broad understanding of the issues in rural health care within that community. Students will be assigned to a community host, who will help with local accommodation and introduce the student to the local community. Where this is not possible students may stay in local nursing quarters or accommodation provided by Rural Clinical Schools. Student commitments Three to four years Recipients are eligible to receive: student stipend of $500 per week for living expenses while on placement; expenses for travel to and from the placement community; and accommodation. Applicants must: be an Australian citizen or permanent resident; have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for rural medicine; have at least 3 full years of study remaining; be currently be enrolled in an accredited medical course at one of the 20 participating universities; and be able to complete the 8 weeks of placements in either three or four years, by the time you complete your degree. Students are expected: to complete the entire eight weeks of placements by the end of February following the year of completion of their medical course. This program supplements the experience of a university clinical rotation in hospital or general practice; to complete a report after each placement that will be distributed to other students, mentors and community contacts; if required, to attend university career days or presentations at secondary schools to share their experiences. Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Website: https://www.acrrm.org.au/about-program Phone: Phone:

11 Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS) Clinical Placement Scholarships - Allied Health Health discipline Allied Health Administered by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. SARRAH receives funding to administer the allied health component of the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS). To support allied health and oral health students to undertake a clinical placement in a rural or remote Australian community within an Australian Standard Geographical Classification Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) rating between 2-5 during their degree. The scheme provides financial assistance for clinical placements in a variety of allied health practices including Aboriginal Medical Services, community health care centres, hospitals, public or private practices. Six weeks clinical placement Scholarship funding of up to $11,000 is available for a maximum six weeks placement. Recipients will receive: a stipend of $500 per week for up to six weeks to be used for food and living expenses; contributions towards one return trip from place of resident to the clinical placement facility; and accommodation costs (for up to six weeks) at the clinical placement location. In addition, the supervisors will receive an honorarium of $300 per clinical placement week in recognition of their support of the scholar and the scheme for up to six weeks. Applicants must be: an Australian citizen or permanent resident; Enrolled in an accredited course in the eligible allied health profession. Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Website: Phone: (02) Phone: Scholarship Guidelines available at: 11

12 Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS) Clinical Placement Scholarships Nursing and Midwifery: Rural and Remote Health discipline Nursing and Midwifery Administered by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. The ACN receives funding to administer the nursing and midwifery component of the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS). To support nursing and midwifery students to undertake a clinical placement in a rural or remote Australian community within an Australian Standard Geographical Classification Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) rating between 4-5 during their degree. Applicants must be: an Australian citizen or permanent resident; Enrolled in an accredited nursing or midwifery course that results in an entry-level nursing or midwifery qualification. Scholarship funding of up to $11,000 is available to support a clinical placement. Recipients may receive payments for: Travel; accommodation and living expenses (if required to relocate from home to complete the placement); supervision payment to the hosting organisation or education institution. Australian College of Nursing Website: Phone: Guidelines available at: 12

13 Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS) Clinical Placement Scholarships - Aboriginal Medical Service Health discipline Nursing and Midwifery Administered by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. The ACN receives funding to administer the nursing and midwifery component of the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS). To support nursing and midwifery students to undertake a clinical placement within an Aboriginal Medical Service. Applicants must be: an Australian citizen or permanent resident; enrolled in an accredited nursing or midwifery course that results in an entry-level nursing or midwifery qualification; and participating in a clinical placement at an Aboriginal medical service. Scholarship funding of up to $11,000 is available to support a clinical placement. Payments may be made for: travel; accommodation and living expenses (only if required to relocate from home to complete the placement); supervision payment to the Aboriginal Medical Service. Australian College of Nursing Website: Phone: Guidelines available at: 13

14 Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS) Clinical Placement Scholarships - Emergency Department Health discipline Nursing and Midwifery Administered by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. The ACN receives funding to administer the nursing and midwifery component of the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS). To support nursing and midwifery students to undertake a clinical placement in a hospital emergency department Applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and meet one of the following criteria: a postgraduate nursing or midwifery student undertaking a course in, or related to emergency or critical care nursing. An undergraduate nursing or midwifery student enrolled in an accredited nursing or midwifery course that results in an entry level nursing or midwifery qualification. An enrolled nurse, registered nurse or midwife working in an emergency department who wishes to undertake a placement in a larger or more specialised emergency department. An enrolled nurse, registered nurse or midwife who does not work in an emergency department but wishes to undertake a placement in an emergency department. Scholarship funding of up to $23,000 is available to support a clinical placement. Payments may be made for: travel, accommodation and living expenses (only if required to relocate from home to complete the placement), loss of income (not available for undergraduate students), and supervision payment to the hosting hospital. Australian College of Nursing Australian College of Nursing Website: Phone: Guidelines available at: 14

15 Rural Clinical School of WA - University of Western Australia and University of Notre Dame Australia Health discipline Funding Medicine The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia (RCSWA) is an Australian Government workforce initiative. The school has the explicit goal of attracting more doctors to regional, rural and remote practice. The RCSWA offers one year of clinical training in the 5th year of study for University of Western Australia (UWA) students and the 3 rd year of study for University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) students (for the 2015 academic year only). From 2016, the RCSWA will offer clinical placements to students of UWA and UNDA in their 3 rd year of study. There are 14 sites across Western Australia in which students can elect to undertake their clinical training. Students can elect their preference for placements in a certain location but their preference will not always be met. Locations are: Albany; Broome; Bunbury; Busselton; Carnarvon; Derby; Esperance; Geraldton; Kalgoorlie; Karratha; Kununurra; Narrogin; Northam; Port Hedland. Placements offered 88 rural placements in 2015 across the two universities This is not a scholarship or grant. Allowance provided of $ per week plus other incentives which are listed below. Rural Clinical School of WA offers: Return travel to and from site 2 x trips per year Free accommodation Relocation of car and personal effects Laptop to loan for a year if required Weekly allowance of $ Closing date for selection 25 th March 2015 for placements in 2016 Student requirements while on placement Rural service/student commitments Satisfy academic requirements Placements are for 44 weeks For more information visit for UWA students of medicine or for UNDA students of medicine 15

16 Rural Pharmacy Student Placement Allowance Health discipline Pharmacy Administered by participating University Pharmacy departments in association with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health as part of the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement. To provide financial support to encourage and enable Australian universities offering pharmacy courses to deliver student placements in rural communities. Recipients are encouraged to seek employment in rural areas following graduation. Students must: Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident; Be enrolled as a full time student in an undergraduate pharmacy degree or as part of a graduate entry course (a course that leads directly to registration as a pharmacist) at any Australian University; Apply for the Placement Allowance through their University; Provide a brief report detailing the activities undertaken while on placement once the placement is complete; and Agree to participate in longitudinal studies on the recruitment or rural pharmacists to rural practice. Placements funded under this programme must take place in Pharmacy Accessibility Remoteness Index of Australia 2-6 locations. A maximum of $3,000 plus GST per student per eligible placement Funds can be used to assist with travel and accommodation costs for students travelling to eligible rural areas to undertake a placement. your University Pharmacy Clinical Placement Officer for more information. For general placement allowance information please access: Or contact the Rural and Indigenous Pharmacy Workforce team on : Phone:

17 University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle Campus Accommodation - Nursing and Midwifery rural placements Health discipline Nursing and Midwifery University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) Fremantle campus To ensure that UNDA Nursing and Midwifery students will be accommodated in the community in which they are undertaking a rural, regional or remote clinical placement. Available to students of Nursing and Midwifery at UNDA Fremantle Rural service/student expectations Nil - these are not grants or scholarships but in-kind support for UNDA students to access accommodated while undertaking clinical placements in rural, regional and remote areas. Please note: Accommodation may be basic (such as a caravan park cabin or occasionally a youth hostel) but will include a meal preparation and cooking area. Students are often required to share accommodation with students from other year groups. Any concerns about accommodation provided in rural, regional or remote areas should be raised with the UNDA Fremantle clinical placements team. If a student cancels their rural request at short notice and this results in paid accommodation not being utilised then the student may be held responsible for paying for the accommodation Students studying at UNDA Broome have first priority for placements in the North West of Western Australia. UNDA Clinical Placement office ND37/211 on Mouat St Fremantle Phone: or See UNDA clinical placements handbook for nursing and midwifery students data/assets/pdf_file/0010/122212/clinicalhandbook_nursing2014.pdf 17

18 Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) - Accommodation for students Health discipline Students of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery and Allied Health professions Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) To provide accommodation to health profession students undertaking a rural or remote clinical placement opportunity. Where available, accommodation may be provided for the duration of a student s clinical placement. Students must be undertaking a clinical placement within a WACHS site. No financial value attached. Dependent upon availability of accommodation. Pre placement requirements Some sites within WACHS provide accommodation free of charge, or at a subsidised rate, to students completing clinical training placements. Accommodation may be in staff quarters or shared accommodation. This accommodation provides students with the opportunity to mix with other health professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) as well as other students. Staff quarters usually have cooking facilities, TV room, laundry facilities etc. It is essential that students discuss with their university clinical placement coordinator their accommodation requirements prior to undertaking a WACHS clinical placement. The university clinical placement coordinator will then liaise with the placement site to determine if accommodation is available for the proposed placement dates. your University Clinical Placement Coordinator directly 18

19 Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) - Student accommodation in Geraldton and Mount Magnet Health discipline Nursing and Allied Health Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) To support health profession students to access a rural health clinical placement. WACRH hosts specialised rural clinical placements and provides student accommodation based in Geraldton and Mount Magnet. Placements are open to students of nursing, allied health and health sciences disciplines WACRH offers a clinical placement program not a scholarship program Students must be undertaking a WACRH hosted clinical placement. Examples of clinical placement rotations may include: Aged care; Hospital; Schools; Remote community (Mt Magnet); and Student teaching clinics in the EdSIM (simulation) Centre. WACRH nursing placements are limited to the UWA Masters of Nursing Science program, WACRH also provides a liaison role for University of Notre Dame nurses on placement within the Geraldton and immediate surrounds. Western Australian Centre for Rural Health Website: Clinical Placement Program : Kathryn Fitzgerald Phone: Accommodation enquiries to 19

20 2. RURAL AND REMOTE ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS Type / Name of incentive Dorothy Swift Nursing Scholarship Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSS) Undergraduate Scholarship Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship (RAMUS) Scheme Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme Medicine and dentistry X Nursing and midwifery X X Allied health X X 20

21 Dorothy Swift Nursing Scholarship Health discipline Nursing Edith Cowan University (ECU) To support nursing students commencing their first semester of study in the ECU Bachelor of Science (Nursing) who are from rural or remote Western Australia or are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. 3 years Scholarship recipients will receive total amount of $24,000 over 3 years Students must: Have/intend to relocate from a rural, regional or remote area of Western Australia or be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; and be a resident of Western Australia; and be an Australian citizen or hold Australian permanent residency status; and be commencing their first semester of study in the ECU Bachelor of Science (Nursing). ECU Scholarships Office Phone: Website: 21

22 Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme Health discipline Medicine Australian Government Department of Health The Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme aims to address doctor shortages outside metropolitan areas across Australia. Normal duration of completing the medical course. The MRBS is worth over $26,310 a year and is currently tax free and indexed annually. The MRBS provides 100 Commonwealth Supported Places each year to first year Australian medical students at participating universities across the country. Eligible medical students must be Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia and also New Zealand citizens who held a New Zealand Special Category Visa on or before 26 February Student commitments Students accepting the MRBS commit to working for six continuous years in a rural or remote area of Australia following attainment of Fellowship of a specialist college, including General Practice. The admissions offices at each university are responsible for the application and nomination process for an MRBS Scheme place following the submission of an application to study medicine. The University of Notre Dame Fremantle Campus Phone: The University of Western Australia Phone: MRBS Scheme Department of Health Website: 22

23 Nursing Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme - Undergraduate Scholarship Health discipline Nursing and Allied Health Administered by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. The ACN receives funding to administer the nursing and midwifery component of the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS).Applications for Allied Health professions is administered by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health and applications for nursing and midwifery professions is administered by the Australian College of Nursing. To support students from rural or remote areas to undertake an undergraduate course in nursing, midwifery or allied health. of undergraduate degree Scholarship recipients will receive $5,000 per semester for full time study or $2,500 for part time study up to a maximum scholarship value of $30,000. The level of funding is determined by the period of study required. Maximum funding for the double degree of Bachelor of Nursing/Midwifery will be $40,000. Students must: be an Australian citizen or hold Australian permanent residency status; be enrolled in or intending to enrol in an approved/accredited undergraduate allied health, nursing or midwifery course; and have a rural or remote area background i.e. have spent a minimum of five consecutive or eight cumulative years in a rural or remote area classification 4-5) Allied health scholarships: Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Website: Phone: (02) Phone: Nursing and midwifery courses: Australian College of Nursing Website: Phone:

24 Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship (RAMUS) Scheme Health discipline Medicine Administered by the National Rural Health Alliance Inc. on behalf of the Australian Government To assist selected students with a rural background to study medicine at university. In addition to their rural background RAMUS scholarship holders are selected on the basis of financial need and demonstrated commitment to working in rural Australia in the future. Length of degree RAMUS scholarship holders receive $10,000 a year during the completion of a standard medical degree at their chosen university. This financial support assists scholarship holders to overcome the financial barriers to studying medicine at university, particularly the costs of moving and living away from their family support structures. Each year approximately 130 new scholarships are awarded through a competitive application process. Student commitments Eligible medicine students must: be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia; have lived in a defined Australian rural area for a minimum of five consecutive years, or eight cumulative years, from their fifth birthday up to the time of starting their medical degree; be enrolled or have applied to study in an accredited Australian undergraduate or graduate-entry medical degree; be a member of the university s student rural health club; and not be receiving any other scholarships, cadetships or bursaries with a combined value of more than $7,000 per year. Undertake appropriate rural activities, have a rural doctor as a mentor, be a member of the university s student rural health club and are strongly encouraged to participate in rural activities (supervised clinical activities in rural areas, promoting careers in health to rural school students). Although RAMUS scholars are not required to work in a rural area once they have graduated, they are strongly encouraged to follow a rural medical career for some or all of their working lives. National Rural Health Alliance Inc. Website: Phone: or

25 Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme Health discipline Number of scholarships Student commitment Pharmacy Administered by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health. To provide financial support to encourage and enable students from rural and remote communities to undertake undergraduate or graduate studies in pharmacy at university. Up to four years At least 30 scholarships are offered annually $10,000 per annum per student, a student may be granted $40,000 over a four-year period. Applicants must: be Australian citizens or permanent residents; enrolled as a full-time student in a pharmacy undergraduate or graduate degree at an Australian university; have lived in a defined rural area (Pharmacy Accessibility Remoteness Index of Australia areas 2-6) for a minimum of five consecutive years, or eight cumulative years from the age of five; be a member of the student Rural Health Club. Scholarship holders will be required to participate in the Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Mentor Scheme. Scholarship holders must nominate a rural pharmacist of their choice to work with as a mentor. The mentor will be eligible to receive an honorarium of $375 each year of participation. For general information about the Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme please access: Or contact the Rural and Indigenous Pharmacy Workforce team on: Phone: