Thanking our financial aid scholarship donors

The recipients of the most recent round of financial aid scholarships have been announced. 63 scholarships worth a combined total of $442,530 have been awarded to 48 students across the Melbourne Medical School, with an average of $9219 being awarded to each recipient.

The financial aid scholarship program provides much needed support to students who are experiencing hardship, empowering them to continue their studies in the medical field. This year’s scholarship recipients have expressed their gratitude to our donors who generously contribute to the program.

“I would like to start off by sincerely thanking all the people involved in awarding me with this opportunity. Although I sincerely enjoy medicine, I have had constant doubts about my financial capacity to pay off my debts and continue my studies. My first few months in medicine have been the most rewarding moments of my life, and through this award I am able to continue pursuing my dreams of using my skills and talents to help those around me, so to you I am entirely grateful.”

- Josh, MD1 student

“Words honestly cannot describe how grateful I am for being selected to receive this award, I am truly appreciative and privileged. This scholarship will not only bring financial security for my essential costs of living, but it will also enable me to work less hours to meet these needs. This will allow me to commit more time and effort into my studies as well as give me the opportunity to also commit more time with touch football – which is a key part of my life and brings balance between my studying and working. An opportunity that this scholarship also brings, which was not feasible before this scholarship due to the lack of available hours, is the opportunity to get involved in a biomedical research project which has always been an interest of mine, so this is a very exciting possibility! Once again, thank you.”

- Braith, MD1 student

“I give my wholehearted thanks for the generosity you have shown. I am a proud Wiradjuri man from Albury, NSW. I have completed a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Melbourne in 2021 and decided that I would pursue my passion in an unrelated field of medicine. My motive for studying medicine is to focus on a preventable approach and help target the downstream effects that our individual decision making can have on our health as a community. The Doctor of Medicine is an extremely demanding course and provides little-to-no opportunity for working outside university. The scholarship will allow me to focus more on my studies without the added burden of financial stress so that I am able to focus on becoming the best doctor I can possibly be. I hope that one day I am able to prevent many preventable illnesses in the future.”

- Cooper, MD1 student

“This year has been particularly difficult for me, as I moved away from my family to progress my medical studies but struggle with the distance and the costs of living out of home. It is really nice to know that my goals and my studies are supported so widely and so selflessly by others. It gives me a lot of pride in what I do and motivates me further to work hard and support myself, my loved ones, and others in the future. Thank you again for your generous support. It is genuinely re-affirming and encouraging for me as I continue my studies and pursue my aspirations.”

- Jesse, MD2 student

“I just want to say I really appreciate your charitable and heart-warming donation. It lifts me up and makes me free from financial distress and enables me to focus more on exploring the medical field and growing to be a qualified doctor. Your generosity is the fuel to my fire, and I could not be more grateful than I am for you at this moment. Also, I will carry this humanity and benevolence into my future practice. Truly, thank you.”

- Ding, MD2 student

“I am so pleased and deeply grateful to accept this award. I am currently living far from my home and support systems, and am responsible for my own finances during my studies. While this can be empowering and has made me very independent, it has meant I've often had to take on part time work to support myself, and this can sometimes take away from time that could be better spent studying or enjoying extra-curricular experiences with my cohort. This award will undoubtedly help me reduce my part time employment and take away some of the stresses of independent living. It will also allow me to pursue some of my extra-curricular interests like hiking, skiing, squash and music. I hope that once I have graduated and become part of the medical community, I can find a way to give back and support upcoming medical students like the donors who have supported me.”

- Maddie, MD3 student

“The news of this scholarship offering has come as a huge surprise to me and I cannot express how thankful I am to be receiving it. This money will contribute towards relieving financial strain, allowing me to work on my studies and become a competent and capable intern. This scholarship will cover costs associated with regular medical treatment that I receive and will allow me to access resources that I otherwise would not have access to. I hope that I can use this scholarship in the way that the donor would have wanted, and that the donor will be proud of my achievements knowing that they provided assistance to me during a challenging period in my life.”

- Chloe, MD4 student

“I am deeply touched and grateful for this scholarship. My partner is having a baby at the end of July, and I am having some overdue orthodontic work so having this scholarship makes it much easier for me to concentrate on my final year of the Doctor of Medicine program. I am inspired in the future to assist other medical students.”

- Luke, MD4 student