Expression of Intent Mediserve - University of Queensland

The Need

The UQ School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work’s aspiration is that no student of outstanding quality with the desire to study nursing should be inhibited from attending UQ by reasons of funding. One of the major hurdles for financially-disadvantaged students is the cost of living while undertaking a full-time nursing degree with a fulltime load of teaching and clinical placement hours.  As a consequence, many students attempt to juggle significant paid work commitments alongside full-time enrolment with the consequence that they might not be able to complete their degree.

Additionally the University of Queensland is committed to boosting Australia’s regional and rural health workforce. UQ has been successful in attracting federal funding for a University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) for southern Queensland that will boost clinical training in rural Australia. Training facilities like UDRH are essential to the regional health workforce of the future. UDHR will support current health workforce priorities in regional southern Queensland, and expand support for clinical student placements for nursing.

Our aim is to attract scholarships supported by the community with the primary focus of providing funds to assist with the living expenses of identified students during the period of their courses. Some of these students will be placed in regional areas. Supporting high quality regional and rural health training is not only an important way to address rural health workforce shortages, but also maintain and improve overall services in rural and remote Australia.

The Gift

Mediserve  gift will support one student per year who identifies themselves as indigenous, from a regional or remote background that can demonstrate financial need