Bond University is pleased to announce applications for its 2020 Indigenous Medical Scholarship are now open.
As part of the University's commitment to help close the gap on education and healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Bond will award one applicant a part scholarship placement in its 2020 Medical Program.
Professor Nick Zwar, Executive Dean of Bond University's Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, said Bond University is dedicated to growing its Indigenous medical cohort in order to see more Indigenous health practitioners enter the workforce.
“Bond University recognises the importance of increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals, including doctors, in closing the gap in Indigenous health.
“The University is proud of its track record of supporting Indigenous students to successfully complete their degrees and we look forward to being able to again offer support to an Indigenous student enrolling in our medical program in 2020.”
Bond’s medical program is the shortest pathway to becoming a Doctor in Australia, with graduates having the distinct advantage of beginning their careers ahead of their counterparts around the country.
Final year Doctor of Medicine student Myora Kruger, who is an Indigenous Medical Scholarship recipient, said Bond’s highly personalised teaching environment has positively impacted her studies.
“Bond is a warm and welcoming community and the support I have been given by the University has helped me to develop both personally and professionally,” she said.
“The reason I chose to study at Bond was because of how innovative and hands-on the medical program is. The accelerated program also means that you get to fully immerse yourself into practicing medicine sooner.”
Dr Shannon Springer, Discipline Lead for Indigenous Health, said the recipient of the Indigenous Medical Scholarship for 2020 would benefit from Bond’s well-established and extensive student support systems.
“As part of our commitment to student retention and completion rates among Indigenous students, Bond has a dedicated Indigenous student support service called the Nyombil Centre.
“The Centre provides students with assistance throughout their studies, helping them to transition into the higher education environment and providing opportunities to connect with their Indigenous peers," he said.
Bond will award one 50% scholarship for one Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student commencing in the 2020 Medical Program in May.
Bursaries such as the Indigenous Medical Scholarship are key components of Bond’s inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which pledges to help support the academic progression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The University is a proud member of the national RAP community, joining over 1,000 dedicated corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations across the nation who are committed to reconciliation through the RAP program.