1:30min
With a conversation kicking off about expansion to the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) scheme, led by Dr Monique Ryan, Senator David Pocock and our colleagues at Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), Optometry Australia is supporting the call for optometry students to be included.
The CPP currently offers financial assistance to eligible students undertaking mandatory placements in teaching, nursing, midwifery or social work.
Stories like Jessie Woodward’s highlight why Optometry Australia believes extending this support to optometry students will help ease placement-related financial pressures and strengthen the profession’s workforce.
Jessie Woodward’s story
When Jessie Woodward left her hometown of Coffs Harbour to study optometry at UNSW, she was excited to pursue a profession that had always felt personal.
Born with a congenital cataract, Jessie grew up with regular visits to eye care professionals. By the time she finished school, optometry felt like a natural choice; part passion, part lived experience.
‘I was shocked that I actually got the ATAR to study optometry,’ Jessie says.
‘Moving to Sydney at 18 was a big leap, but I was ready to work hard and make the most of it.’
What Jessie didn’t realise was just how financially gruelling the final year of her degree would be especially during 36 weeks of unpaid, mandatory clinical placements.
A full-time job, no income
Like all final-year optometry students at UNSW, Jessie’s last year has been packed with placements; some nearby, some interstate but all unpaid.
‘It’s essentially full-time work. Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, often with long commute times. There’s no room to take on other paid work unless you give up your weekends or your wellbeing.’
Jessie works just one retail shift a week on Saturdays to cover rent, food and essentials.
It’s not enough but it’s all she can manage. And that one paid day leaves only Sunday to catch up on groceries, cleaning, errands and assignments.
‘There’s no space for recovery. I’m constantly exhausted and that impacts everything – study, work, even my relationships.’
The financial hit
In fourth year, optometry students are required to purchase their own clinical equipment, which costs around $7000 out of pocket. Jessie used all her savings for that one-off cost, starting her final year with nothing in the bank.
From there, every placement came with significant financial output. Jessie’s regional placement required a flight to Coffs Harbour, a 50km daily commute by car and extra petrol costs.
While on her placements in Melbourne and Hobart, she would stay with family, friends or strangers to avoid the cost of a hotel.
‘Every flight I book means less money for food. If an unexpected cost pops up, it comes out of my grocery budget. It’s a constant trade-off between eating properly, commuting to placement or just getting by.’
Even small pleasures are off the table. Jessie has had to cut back on social events with friends and flying home to see family has become a luxury she can’t afford.
Mental load, emotional cost
Living pay cheque to pay cheque during an already overwhelmingly demanding year has taken a toll.
‘There’s a constant voice in my head doing the maths – can I afford this or does that mean I skip meals this week?’
Jessie describes moments of burnout, tears and breakdowns especially during shifts at her retail job, where the stress has made it hard to stay composed.
Sometimes, she’s had to sacrifice income just to recover emotionally.
‘I had to take Saturdays off to survive mentally. But that means no income that week. It’s not sustainable.’
She also worries about academic performance. Between full-time placements and financial stress, the time and energy left for case reports, assignments and study is minimal.
Hidden hardship, lost independence
Perhaps the hardest part has been losing the sense of independence she’d worked so hard to build.
Before this year, Jessie had been financially self-sufficient.
‘I was doing great on my own. But this year, I’ve had to rely on my parents and they’re not in a strong financial position either. My dad’s self-employed and my mum is just starting a new business. Even my boyfriend has had to help with small things like meals.’
The shame of financial hardship, and the pressure to hide it, weighs heavily.
‘It’s a horrible feeling to admit you’re struggling. I’ve cried more this year than any other just from the constant pressure and guilt.’
What could have made a difference?
Jessie is confident that something like the Commonwealth Prac Payment would’ve changed everything.
‘Even just $331 a week would give me options. I could work less, eat properly, stop relying on my parents. It would’ve given me some of my independence back.’
She believes it’s not just about money; it’s about equity. Access to placement shouldn’t depend on your postcode or your bank balance.
‘There’s a big disparity in what students can afford. Some stay in Airbnbs or go overseas. Others, like me, are scraping by, taking the cheapest or closest placement we can find. That divide shouldn’t exist.’
A future worth investing in
Jessie is clear-eyed about the value of her profession and the need for broader support.
‘Optometrists are essential. With an ageing population and a rise in myopia, we’re a growing part of multidisciplinary healthcare. But to keep the workforce strong, we need to support students through the final stretch.’
She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help shift the narrative and make a case for why optometry students deserve inclusion in the Commonwealth’s Prac Payment scheme.
‘We’re still students. We’re working full-time on placement, studying on top and many of us are doing it without family nearby. Supporting us means setting us, and our future patients, up for success.’
Share your experience to support the expansion of the CPP scheme
We’re collecting stories to highlight why expanding the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) to include optometry students is so important. If you or someone you know has faced financial hardship during mandatory placements, your experience can help strengthen our advocacy.
Please share your story with our team at policy@optomety.org.au.