Scholarships & Bursaries

The RFDS Robin Miller Nursing Scholarship has been established by the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tasmania in partnership with the Nursing and Midwifery program at the University of Tasmania and RFDS Central Operations, covering South Australia and much of the Northern Territory. The scholarship provides a senior nursing undergraduate with experience of living in remote Australia and working there with the RFDS. It will give insight into the advantages and difficulties of nursing practice in the Outback in general and among indigenous Australians in particular. The scholarship is dedicated to the memory of the late Mrs Robin Miller-Dicks (1940–1975), the nurse, aviatrix and RFDS pilot who became widely known by Aboriginal Australians as the ‘Sugar-Bird Lady’ because of handing out many thousands of doses of sweetly flavoured polio oral vaccine https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/tas/our-services/scholarships-tas/

Eligibility

Available to a student enrolled full-time in the final year of the University's Bachelor of Nursing degree (H30 or H3N) at a Tasmanian campus and due to undertake the unit NUR354 for Nursing Study Period 3, 2023. Subject to COVID-19 restrictions and ability to travel, applicants must be available to participate in the two-week placement 4th September – 15th September 2023.This experience will account for 2 weeks of PEP (80 hours) out of the 7 weeks available for NUR354. Students will be allocated further PEP hours immediately upon their return to meet the remaining 200 PEP hours to meet the requirements of NUR354. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of quality of application and the following criteria - a credit grade average thus far in the course; evidence of high level skills in professional communication and practice; demonstrated interest in, and understanding of, contemporary rural health issues; demonstrated intention to engage in rural health at some stage in the future; ability and willingness to act an ambassador promoting the RFDS and the University's Nursing program. The successful applicant will be required to provide a report of their placement to the RFDS and participate in a scholarship presentation in the last week of November. Previous RFDS experience is not required.

On-going Eligibility

The recipient is required to remain enrolled full-time in the final year of the Bachelor of Nursing, graduating in 2023.

Amount

The scholarship comprises two weeks flying, 4th September – 15th September 2023, and clinical work centred at the RFDS Base at Port Augusta, SA; return flights from Tasmania; accommodation at or near the Host base; a living allowance of $100 per day; and reimbursement of formal costs such as immunisations and police check.

Duration

Two weeks, 4th September – 15th September 2023

Closing Date

30 June 2023

Apply

Apply online prior to closing date. As applicants will be assessed on the quality of application, all questions should be answered in full. Please ensure care is taken with spelling and grammar. Applicants must provide a referee's report to support their application at the moment of application.

Application status

Open.