1:30min
Optometry Queensland Northern Territory (OQNT) is committed to ensuring the next generation of optometrists have an interest in working in regional and remote communities.
Rural health care providers are crucial to improving the health and wellbeing of the over 7 million people in rural and remote Australia. As highlighted by the National Rural Health Alliance’s factsheet Eye and Vision Health in Rural Australia, living in rural, remote or regional Australia is associated with a number of poorer eye health outcomes, including preventable visual impairment. Further, while approximately 90 per cent of vision loss is considered to be treatable or preventable, people living in rural Australia have reduced access to eye care compared with those living in metropolitan areas.
In 2024, OQNT is launching the inaugural OQNT Rural Student Placement Scholarship, to support local optometry students to undertake a rural placement opportunity in either Queensland or the Northern Territory.
By encouraging and supporting students to undertake rural placements, OQNT hope to contribute to alleviating the current maldistribution of optometrists that favours metropolitan areas, increasing access to optometrists closer to home for rural residents.
About the scholarship
Up to four applicants will receive up to $3000AUD each in financial support for a one-week, full-time placement within either a private optometry practice or alongside an optometrist based in QLD Health, in a MM 3 – MM 7 location in either Queensland or Northern Territory.
Funds are intended to support reasonable travel costs such as flights and accommodation and up to $50 per day for food.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must apply in their fourth year of study, for placements scheduled in their final year of study, and be a member of Optometry Queensland Northern Territory. Student membership is free and enables immediate access to a range of other critical areas of support including individual contract review(s) with an expert optometrist advisor, and access to an Optometry Australia starter kit, full of updated clinical resources to help with your first weeks and months of work.
Successful applicants are expected to provide a 400-500 word news article within 30 days of completing the placement, overviewing their experience and key lessons learnt. This will be published in OQNT’S member e-newsletter SEE Magazine and (with permission from the successful applicant) potentially carried across other Optometry Australia newsletters and publications.
How to apply
Interested applicants should review the detailed Rural Placement Scholarship Program Terms and Conditions closely.
Applicants are then invited to provide a 400 word written application, detailing their interest in undertaking a rural placement and your anticipated key lessons learnt.
Applicants should also provide:
- Details of their planned placement – including placement location and anticipated length, to the extent that these details are known at the time of application;
- their OQNT membership number;
- preferred contact email address; and
- Contact details for a minimum of two (2) referees.
Applications should be emailed to Sarah Case, OA’s Member Engagement Advisor at student@optometry.org.au by Friday, 29 November 2024. Applicants will be advised of outcomes in December 2024.