Dr. Mary Calthorpe and Dr. George Wong, retired ophthalmologists, have created an endowed scholarship fund aimed at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students pursuing medical studies. Known as the Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship, this initiative seeks to boost the representation of Indigenous physicians in Indigenous communities. Each year, one scholarship is awarded, pending sufficient funds.
Flinders University, located in Adelaide, South Australia, is the institution that hosts this scholarship program. Established in 1966, Flinders is named after explorer Matthew Flinders and is recognized for its innovative research approach and academic excellence, ranking among the top universities in Australia and globally for institutions under fifty years old.
The Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship offers a $20,000 annual award for up to four years, contingent upon academic performance. Recipients receive fortnightly payments throughout their tenure, which lasts until they complete four years of study, with the possibility of extending for an additional year if justified by exceptional circumstances.
Requirements for Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship Qualification
To be eligible, scholarship applicants must:
- Be of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
- Identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
- Be accepted as such by the community in which they live or have lived; and
- Be enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine at Flinders University; and
- Be able to demonstrate financial hardship; and
Students receiving this scholarship will not be eligible to hold similar scholarships concurrently.
Interview date, Process and Venue for Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship
Selection will be made by the College of Medicine and Public Health and Yunggorendi Student Services in conjunction with Student Finance and Scholarships.
The Scholarship will be determined on the following selection criteria:
· Financial need
· Demonstrated desire to work as a doctor in an Indigenous community post-graduation.
Application Deadline
February 26, 2024
How to Apply
Applications should be submitted online through the Flinders University Student System by the specified closing date.
The following documentation will be required as part of the application process:
- Applicants who are in receipt of a Commonwealth Income Support payment will need to demonstrate evidence of this. This can be done by uploading a recent Centrelink (or DVA) Income Statement which shows you are currently in receipts of government means tested benefits.
- Applicants who are not in receipt of a Commonwealth Income Support payment as described above will need to complete the Financial Hardship Form which is downloadable below.
For more details, visit Flinders University website.
