Curtin University has launched a new scholarship to help more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students become doctors and grow Western Australia\u2019s Aboriginal medical workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Developed by Curtin Medical School<\/a>, the Moombaki Medicine Scholarship will provide financial support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying medicine for the duration of their degree, helping to reduce barriers to education and enabling them to focus on their goal of becoming a doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moombaki is derived from the Noongar phrase meaning horizon or \u201cwhere the river meets the sky\u201d \u2014 symbolising connections, aspirations, and shared future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Curtin Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Professor Jonathan Bullen<\/a> said the Moombaki Medicine Scholarship would address community healthcare needs by investing in and growing the State\u2019s Aboriginal medical workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHelping more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students become doctors is vital to closing the health gap, strengthening culturally informed healthcare and inspiring more Aboriginal students to pursue medicine,\u201d Professor Bullen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to financial assistance, students will receive mentoring through the Aboriginal Health team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Curtin Medical School Aboriginal Health Director Louise Austen<\/a> said the Moombaki Medicine Scholarship reflected Curtin\u2019s commitment to equity initiatives and would improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctor retention and graduation rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCurtin believes that every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctor we train today becomes tomorrow’s horizon where Country meets healing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe name Moombaki is especially meaningful as this scholarship looks towards a stronger future for Aboriginal medical students, doctors, and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Yvonne Anderson<\/a>, Dean and Head of Curtin Medical School, said the scholarship would help build a pipeline of medical practitioners for rural and remote regions and Aboriginal communities facing critical workforce shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese scholarships will make a meaningful contribution to the State\u2019s healthcare system at a time of growing demand for highly skilled, culturally aware practitioners, while enabling future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors to pursue their studies, stay focused on their goals and realise their dreams,\u201d Professor Anderson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First-year medical student Sanoe Barnes said the scholarship was a gamechanger that would help more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students view medicine as an achievable pathway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis scholarship provides more than financial support, it gives students the freedom to pursue their goals with stability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students who are entering the five-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entry Pathway are eligible to apply for the Moombaki Medical Scholarship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Interested applicants can find out more about the new scholarship by emailing scholarships@curtin.edu.au<\/a> phoning 1300 222 888 or visiting here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Curtin University has launched a new scholarship to help more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 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