Mick McLoughlin Memorial Bursary

If all of the following statements describe you and your current situation, you can apply for this scholarship:

• I am currently enrolled in Year 5 of the MBBS program;
• I intend to undertake the Year 6 elective in an 'underserved' area of Australia, RA4-5 remote or in the developing world;
• I commit to supplying an oral and written report upon return; and
• I am of good academic standing.

If you are a successful applicant of this bursary you will receive a single payment of $2,500

Prior to completing an application, you should carefully read the Bursary Rules below. Applicants wanting to apply for this bursary must submit the following documents:

Written submission

The submission should be no longer than five pages (excluding the cover), in 12 point text and should address the following.

• What skills or experience will you draw on to enable you to successfully undertake to work in an 'underserved' area of Australia or the developing world? (e.g. excellent clinical and analytical skills; prior experience, etc.)
• Address the following selection criteria using the headings provided:
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity to the needs of others and how this will assist with meeting your objectives including communication and interpersonal skills that enable you to work well with other people;
• Self assurance and confidence in a range of situations;
• An ability to solve problems using limited resources and facilities such as adaptability and flexibility to deal with challenging situations;
• A desire to learn and assist others to learn;
• Your motivation to live and work in an 'underserved' area of Australia or the developing world; and
• How you would benefit from this experience, both personally and professionally.

Project plan

The project plan should be no more than 2,000 words and should outline an activity or series of activities that will be undertaken during your placement. The activities must benefit the community/hosts/health services you will be involved with. Outline also how these activities have been negotiated to be mutually beneficial. For example, the activities might involve assisting in the setup of a clinic, or review or medications as part of stock control, or undertaking a survey, or delivering education to health care personnel. The activity should be implementable within the timeframe specified and provided as a report to the hosts or health service sponsoring your placement.

The plan should address the following areas:

• Choice of topic and justification (including how this was mutually negotiated);
• General approach to the project;
• Implementation and delivery of the activity/ies;
• Resources required;
• Monitoring and evaluation of the activity/ies;
• Follow up (including the provision of a report to the host community); and
• Sustainability and ongoing funding (if relevant).
• When applying for a scholarship it is very important that you ensure that you include all relevant documents (including a completed application form) and that your application is submitted before the closing date. If an application is incomplete, it will not be considered.

Your application is checked for completeness and eligibility, and you will receive an email confirmation it has been received. After the closing date it will be individually assessed and put forward to a selection committee who will rank your application against others who have applied. Applicants may be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Nature of the Bursary

Founded in 2003 by the family of the late Dr Mick McLoughlin. Dr McLoughlin was a prominent rural doctor who practised in a number of locations in North Queensland including Cairns, Cooktown and Collinsville, up until his death in 1999. The purpose of the bursary is to support a senior medical student undertaking an elective in the developing world.

Due to current COVID international travel restrictions this Bursary will be used to support a year 6 student enrolled in the MBBS course to undertake their elective placement in an ‘underserved’ area of Australia, which could be RA4-5 (‘remote’) or in the developing world.

Payment

The value of the bursary shall be $2,500 or such amount as the Selection Committee determines from time to time.

Eligibility Criteria

The Mick McLoughlin Memorial Bursary shall be open to competition among candidates who:

• Are currently enrolled in year 5 of the MBBS program;
• Intend to undertake the year 6 elective in an 'underserved' area of Australia; RA4-5 remote or in the developing world;
• Commit to supplying an oral and written report upon return; and
• Be of good academic standing.

Selection Criteria

The Selection Committee will, in the exercise of their absolute discretion, afford consideration to the following criteria:

• Academic merit or potential;
• The character of the candidate for the award;
• Demonstrated interest health service delivery or programs or systems in a developing nation; and
• Any other criteria that the Selection Committee deems appropriate, including whether the candidate has, or will receive any other scholarship assistance during their studies.

Application Procedures

Applications must be submitted on the official form no later than the date set by the Selection Committee for the year in which the award is to be made.

Written submission

The submission should be no longer than five pages (excluding the cover), in 12 point text and should address the following.

• What skills or experience will you draw on to enable you to successfully undertake to work in an 'underserved' area of Australia or the developing world? (e.g. excellent clinical and analytical skills; prior experience, etc.)
• Address the following selection criteria using the headings provided:
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity to the needs of others and how this will assist with meeting your objectives including communication and interpersonal skills that enable you to work well with other people;
• Self assurance and confidence in a range of situations;
• An ability to solve problems using limited resources and facilities such as adaptability and flexibility to deal with challenging situations;
• A desire to learn and assist others to learn;
• Your motivation to live and work in an 'underserved' area of Australia; and
• How you would benefit from this experience, both personally and professionally.

Project plan

The project plan should be no more than 2,000 words and should outline an activity or series of activities that will be undertaken during your placement. The activities must benefit the community/hosts/health services you will be involved with. Outline also how these activities have been negotiated to be mutually beneficial. For example, the activities might involve assisting in the setup of a clinic, or review or medications as part of stock control, or undertaking a survey, or delivering education to health care personnel. The activity should be implementable within the timeframe specified and provided as a report to the hosts or health service sponsoring your placement.

The plan should address the following areas:

• Choice of topic and justification (including how this was mutually negotiated);
• General approach to the project;
• Implementation and delivery of the activity/ies;
• Resources required;
• Monitoring and evaluation of the activity/ies;
• Follow up (including the provision of a report to the host community); and
• Sustainability and ongoing funding (if relevant).
• When applying for a scholarship it is very important that you ensure that you include all relevant documents (including a completed application form) and that your application is submitted before the closing date. If an application is incomplete, it will not be considered.

Selection Process

The award of the bursary shall be made in the absolute discretion of the Selection Committee, which shall comprise of:

• Dean, College of Medicine and Dentistry (Chair) or nominee
• Convener of Year 5/6 in the College of Medicine or nominee
• Other members deemed appropriate, as determined by the Chair.

The Selection Committee reserves the right:

• Not to award a bursary in any year if, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, there is no candidate of sufficient merit to warrant an award;
• To award a bursary for a period of one or more years; and
• To extend a bursary for the existing recipient.

The Selection Committee may require applicants to undertake an interview as part of their application.

The Selection Committee will determine all matters relating to the bursary.

Conditions of the Bursary

If the holder of an award fails to comply with any of these provisions or any provision relating to a particular award or with any conditions imposed under these provisions or the provisions relating to a particular award, the Council may terminate the award or withhold any further emoluments or take such action as it may deem necessary to enforce compliance with the provision or performance of the condition by the holder.

The recipient of the bursary shall continue to receive the award on condition that in the opinion of the Selection Committee, and on advice from the head of the college in which the recipient is undertaking a course of study, that the recipient maintains a satisfactory level of performance. Where it is determined that the level of academic performance is unsatisfactory the Selection Committee may in its absolute discretion cancel the award or suspend the award for such time as it may determine and/or until academic performance is considered satisfactory. Where an award is cancelled pursuant to the provisions to this clause it may, for the remainder of the term for which the original holder would have been entitled to it, be awarded to another suitable candidate.

In the event the Selection Committee cancels or suspends the student's bursary, a student may lodge a request for review of decision in accordance with the provisions of the Student Appeals Policy.

The bursary shall not be awarded to another suitable candidate before the Appeal Panel makes a final decision on the review. The Appeal Panel shall comprise the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee (Chair); two staff members of the appropriate Faculty appointed by the Executive Dean; and either the Student Association Academic Support Services Coordinator or the Student Association Welfare Coordinator. The staff members appointed by the Executive Dean shall have no association with the teaching of the subject(s) in which the unsatisfactory academic performance is alleged. Unless the circumstances are exceptional, the Appeal Panel shall consider only: the student's grounds for requesting the review; any documents relevant to the finding of unsatisfactory academic performance; and the reason for the decision by the Selection Committee.

The requirements of the bursary shall not make the awarding of the bursary conditional upon the recipient providing unremunerated services or products to the donor.

In the event that the recipient suspends their study, the bursary shall be suspended.

Administration of the Bursary

The Bursary shall be administered by the scholarships office, on behalf of the Selection Committee.

The funds of the scholarship shall be held in an account in the name of the University and shall be administered by the officer of the University charged with administering the scholarship.

Where an award provides some benefit to the recipient from a body external to the University, or an obligation upon a body external to the University, the University, its servants and agents, shall not be liable for that benefit or obligation

Please refer to Glossary of Terms.