Past Indigenous Health Scholarships Program

Indigenous health is an important and broad area with many challenges facing health workers and professionals. From my time working in Indigenous affairs for ten years I have seen first hand how difficult making effective change and advancements can be. I know there is not an easy answer to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. What I do know is with the skills and knowledge I have gained through my work and studies I can make a purposeful contribution to improving these issues.

I started out in the health field when I was a mere 17 year old. I had completed high school, and had completed subjects in school that I enjoyed, rather than what would set me up for a career. When I commenced a traineeship as an Aboriginal Health Worker, I surprised myself with how much I actually enjoyed learning about health.

When I become a qualified medical practitioner, I aspire to help the Indigenous peoples of Australia by improving their overall health and preventing chronic illnesses.

I am to do this by working rurally and remotely in Aboriginal communities all over the country. I would like to work within an outreach program that targets Indigenous health, usually in remote communities but can also be in rural communities.

Growing up as an Indigenous woman in a small rural town, I am no stranger to the dangers of a healthcare system that lacks the diversity required to provide adequate care for its Aboriginal communities. My decision to pursue a career in health is motivated by my knowledge of the health gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Australia. The disparity in morbidity and mortality rates that affect our Aboriginal population is something I believe can be drastically improved through the growing presence of Indigenous health workers and medical practitioners, who have the background and understanding required to develop a more culturally sensitive approach to healthcare.

Living in the Worimi community as a proud Wiradjuri woman, and being able to call Forster – Tuncurry home for almost 30 years of my life is a proud moment as a 32 year old Wiradjuri woman.

Growing up I always wanted to go attend our Aboriginal culture classes to listen to the teacher share our history, culture, health, lifestyle, respect for elders, storytelling of the famous dreamtime stories and also going on excursions through this beautiful coastline of Lower north coast of N.S.W. I enjoyed, learnt and experienced our rich vibrant Aboriginal history throughout the Worimi and Birpi Elder’s on bush walks giving detail to how our culture survived for over 60 000 years to date.

As a Wongaibon woman from western NSW, I appreciate the value of having a strong and accessible healthcare system and services outside of metropolitan areas. Which is why I am passionate about creating equitable rural health and life outcomes throughout my medical career through the improvement of healthcare access and service.

Growing up and living in rural and remote regions, I have seen first-hand the impact health outcomes have on our community and why it’s vital to have local Aboriginal health professionals in these critical roles. My main motivation to become a health professional is to go back to the rural and remote communities I grew up in to provide the appropriate care authentically to Aboriginal peoples. I will play a crucial role in community health settings as I have a personal connection with the community. I have already built trust and rapport with the community and elders. I am looking forward to becoming a qualified psychologist so I can take services back to rural and remote communities in the Gulf of Carpentaria where there is a high population of Aboriginal people.

“Warami” I am Brianna St John, a proud Darug woman from the Burramatta clan. 2020 has been a year we have never seen before bringing hardship – even devastation – to so many with still no end in sight to the coronavirus pandemic. Being involved in medicine as a medical student I have realised how an important service we provide to our wider community. Nursing has been my passion; I finished my degree in two years, where an inspired lecturer saw more in me than I aspired for.I am a resilient and determined woman to be an example to my clan and wider community to succeed as an Indigenous Doctor.

As an Indigenous woman I have seen the many ailments that have left my people and communities broken, I have grown accustomed to unfortunately hearing about high levels of chronic health conditions and preventable diseases, this played a huge role in my desire and ambition to becoming a nurse.

Sure, everyone explains how they are going to assist Aboriginal people and communities to provide better health and wellbeing outcomes. Don’t get me wrong it’s something I definitely aim to achieve however; one important thing I think we need to work on first is how we interact and engage with Aboriginal people and communities.