BMA Scholarship
Aims
The Albury Wodonga Border Medical Student Scholarship has been an initiative by local doctors to reward the brightest students from all local schools accepted to study medicine and to encourage them to return ‘home’ after they graduate. It is known that if a doctor grew up in the country, or has a partner who enjoys a rural lifestyle, that they are likely to return to a rural practice for their whole career. The BMA Scholarship commenced in 1991, being the brainchild of Drs Richard Escott, Ron Bailey and Bill Orgill. Since then, close to 100 medical students have received the benefit of financial support, as well as knowing the medical community is interested in their progress. The BMA encourages them to choose a local doctor as a mentor, since evidence show this improves their success in their studies.
The BMA considers the scholarship to be an important stimulus to encourage local students, who achieve entry into any medical school in Australia, to return to Albury/Wodonga or any of our regional towns after they graduate as doctors, to help relieve the desperate shortage of doctors in this region.
These are the doctors for the future, more likely to stay in this community where their family and friends live, compared with students who grew up in a capital city or overseas. The scholarship is an investment in the future on behalf of this community.
This program is unique to Albury Wodonga and has the potential to assist the medical workforce in the future; many of the past students have taken a rural pathway and intend to practice in the country.
A student selected by the committee as the BMA Scholarship recipient receives a sum annually for the remaining years of medical study. The other applicants may (at the discretion of the scholarship committee) receive a one-off bursary to assist with study costs. The amounts are subject to ongoing funding and decisions made by the BMA executive.
Eligibility
BMA Scholarship Committee is responsible for promotion, selection and administration of the BMA scholarship awarded as per the following criteria:
Applicant Eligibility
A BMA Scholarship Applicant is eligible to apply if:
1. They have completed the majority of their secondary schooling in the region of Albury Wodonga and surrounding districts (defined as being the local government areas in New South Wales of Albury, Corowa, Greater Hume, Lockhart, Tumbarumba, Urana and Wagga Wagga and in Victoria of Wodonga, Towong, Alpine, Indigo, Wangaratta and Benalla);
2. Are Australian citizens; and
3. They have enrolled in a medical training course in an Australian university, either undergraduate or post-graduate (“an approved course”).
BMA Scholarship Interviews
Interviews will be held in February each year and presentation of scholarship to the successful applicant will be made at a major BMA event, the date of which is to be advised annually.
Benefits of the BMA Scholarship
The student winner of the BMA Scholarship selected by the committee will receive a sum annually each year of successful completion of their medical course. They are also eligible for subspecialty mentoring, networking and rural exposure. Their obligation is to report in writing back to the BMA each year (as per details below) so their progress can be monitored. Deferral of a year for valid reasons is not reason to cease funding (which would be deferred for the year); however, failure of a year of medical course will result in cessation of funding. The sum will be determined by the BMA Executive annually. The payment to applicants is dependent on available funds and decision is final by BMA executive.
BMA Scholarship Applicants who are not awarded the scholarship may receive monies to assist in relocation to a capital city, or for books and living expenses. They are also eligible for subspecialty mentoring, networking and rural exposure. This payment to non-successful BMA Scholarship applicants is dependent on available funds and the decision made by BMA executive is final.
BMA Scholarship Report
The BMA scholarship report must contain:
-The student’s basic demographic and contact details.
-A summary of the years of medical schooling completed so far with details of the student’s past year’s activities.
-Comments as to how the student thinks they may contribute to the Albury Wodonga Region if they were to return in the future.
-Details of how much contact the student has had with their local mentor. Comments as to whether there is anything the Border Medical Association could do to assist the student in the coming year.
Application
Applicants are to submit by email a resume of their school experience and extracurricular activities and in addition will be asked to attend an interview by a panel selected by the Scholarship Committee. It may be possible to arrange a telephone or video-conference interview in special circumstances, but this is not recommended.