Past Indigenous Health Scholarships Program

Hi, my name is Alyssa Lampton, in regards to how I will contribute to improving Indigenous health as a qualified medical practitioner or health worker, it is the whole reason why I wanted to become a registered nurse. Becoming a registered nurse is the first step towards how I can use my role to give back to my community and other communities. Being an aboriginal woman, I see the health issues that are affecting our culture. I see it in my family, and I see it in the community around me, I want to be able to be that one person that has opened their eyes to how they can help themselves in order to better their health. As I study here at Deakin Institute of Koorie Education being able to fly in and out of home I can use what I learn here and take it back to my hometown and utilise my skills in progressing indigenous health.

My name is Marlee Paterson. I am an Aboriginal woman of the Yidinji people of Far North Queensland. I am a 6th year Medical student.

My interested in Indigenous health began when I was in high school. As a result I would volunteer at my local Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) during my school holidays. Throughout my years volunteering, I saw that the AMS treated their patients in a holistic manner, with a focus on providing services for physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and socials needs. The AMS achieved this by employing and engaging a multi-disciplinary team that involved doctors, nurses, Aboriginal health worker, counsellors and social workers to meet the needs of the patients.

It is evident through numerous amounts of Nation-wide research, that many Indigenous Australia suffer from poorer health than other Australians, as they are more likely to suffer from multitude of health issues and therefore have a higher mortality rate.   Health care professionals play a vital role in reducing mortality and morbidity in Indigenous Australians through education, appropriate communication, cultural awareness and health promotion.   I am ambitious towards addressing all of these areas when working with Indigenous people.

My goal is to relocate to a rural area where Indigenous communities are predominant as I have the knowledge of the historical background of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people and a great understanding of how history influences our people’s lives.

My motivation for wanting to become a Doctor is a dynamic and constantly evolving one.   It began growing up in the country with  poor access to female practitioners.   When I visited Denmark (the country) on Rotary Youth Exchange I saw the incredible health care system and developed a passion for health. Later when I commenced studying at the University of Western Australia (UWA), I learned how to intellectualise and articulate the disparities I experienced and witnessed, most notably access to education, living in isolation, housing instability and racism.   At UWA, I knew and met Aboriginal medical students who inspired and encouraged me to believe that I too could be a Doctor.   I could be someone who could make a difference.   Since enrolling in the University of Notre Dame MD program, I am presently 1 of 2 Aboriginal students in a class of 110.

My name is Rhiannon Coppin and I am an Aboriginal woman from the Northern Territory.   My family extends from Grove Hill to Alice Springs and originates from three Aboriginal tribes (Woolwonga, Kaytej and Arrente).   My family were victims of the Stolen Generation and unfortunately, as a result we have lost our culture, language and spiritual connection to country.   Therefore, my goal as a midwife is t assist Indigenous women to access culturally safe care and the ability to birth on country, allow them to form a spiritual connection to their land and community.

The 2016 Census shows that the Northern Territory has the highest proportion of Indigenous people in Australia and a large proportion of this population is from a rural and remote location.

I am a proud Palawan Aboriginal woman from Lutruwita.   I am in my third year of physiotherapy, commencing my final year.   Physiotherapy has always been an interest of mine as I want to give back to my community and increase the health and quality of life of all Indigenous people.   I have been fortunate for the opportunity to become enriched with knowledge and I want to share this among my people.

Throughout my degree, I have had many opportunities to connect with my culture and speak on behalf of Aboriginal people and I want to continue to do so after I have graduated.   I have been a mentor for Indigenous students studying a career in allied health and I have sat on the Aboriginal Student Committee Board speaking on behalf of my peers.

As I work through this degree my main aim is to work within a relevant professional stream to assist and support Indigenous women men and children as well a young people who are entering into adulthood and more importantly their mental health.    Indigenous health statistic are rapidly changing.   I would contribute to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) people as a qualified health worker practitioner by improving and providing a reflective and on-going practice and commitment to strengthening individual leadership.    The aim would be to grow an awareness of the knowledge of A&TSI peoples and continue to build better lives from Indigenous people – as individuals, families and community.

For a long time, I have grappled with the question, when I first started my degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy, I only thought that our main goal was handing out medicines.   However, since undertaking this course I have opened my eyes to the many possibilities this career has, and how these can be undertaken by me to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The first role of a pharmacist is to be a medication expert, we are meant to know how medicines work, when and how to take them, what to expect when taking them and any adverse events that could come about whilst taking this medicine.

I am Lloyd Diggins, a Wongi Aboriginal man who grew up on Whadjuk and Wardandi Noongar countries where I am accepted.   I am an active member of my communities.  I am currently placed in Kununurra as part of the Rural Clinical School of WA.   I have progressed through the first two years of the Doctor of Medicine course and am currently completing the courses’ third year.

After high school I studied physiotherapy which allows to work in hospitals in Western Australia. I had not anticipated that in my physiotherapy career I would get the opportunity to work with many Aboriginal patients, but due to being so over represented in healthcare systems I had great experiences treating my own people.

I grew up in Alice Springs and in the APY Lands, where I was exposed to various social and health issues amongst my community.   My passion for becoming a nurse extends from my experience and love that I previously had when growing up.    Further, I had the desire to work in youth detention in the area of prevention and rehabilitation.   However, based on the experience I gained through working in this area, it was not where I saw my full potential and my ability to help my community effectively.   I believe that many aspects of prevention and rehabilitation of youth detention stem from their ability to live a healthy lifestyle – mental, physically and spiritually.