Amuthan Medical Research Bursary

The Amuthan Medical Research Bursary is open for you to apply if you are:

• admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University;
• enrolled full-time (12 credit points per teaching period); and
• Of good academic and professional standing.

Preference will be given to a 2nd or 3rd year student.

If you are a successful applicant of this scholarship you will receive $3,000, for the purposes of a summer school research project.  The expectation would be that a journal manuscript will be submitted for publication as an endpoint of this work (thus some work would be required before and after the official summer school period). Subject to successful outcomes, the same student may then be supported to continue their research in subsequent years.

Prior to completing an application, you should carefully read the Scholarship Rules below.
Applicants wanting to apply for this scholarship must attach the following documents to their application form:

• A written statement of no more than 500 words addressing the aims of the fund;
• A copy of your curriculum vitae; and
• A concise research project proposal (500 words) identifying the proposed work during the bursary, accompanied by an email or letter of support from a suitable supervisor.
• For projects involving human or animal participants, candidates must provide supporting evidence to demonstrate that the ethics application process is underway, with no anticipated hurdles.

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.

Introduction

The Amuthan Medical Research Fund was established in 2013 in memory of Amuthan Annamalai, a Year 6 medical student at James Cook University who passed away on 25 January 2013. The objective of the fund is to improve the health of under-served populations in the tropics through medical research and community development in the fields of public health/health promotion, infectious diseases (especially typhoid and/or Dengue fever) and/or health services. The fund will support research that will lead to improved quality of life, health equity and excellence in clinical care for people living in the tropics.

This bursary is subject to the provisions of James Cook University’s Coursework Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants Policy.

Nature of the Bursary

The value of the bursary shall be $3,000, for the purposes of a summer school research project. A maximum of two bursaries will be awarded in any year.

It is expected that a journal manuscript will be submitted for publication as an endpoint of this work, thus some work would be required before and after the official summer school period.

Subject to successful outcomes, a previous recipient may be supported to continue their research in subsequent years.

Eligibility Criteria

The Amuthan Medical Research Bursary shall be open to competition among applicants who are:

• Admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University;
• Enrolled full-time (12 credit points per teaching period); and
• Of good academic and professional standing.

Preference will be given to a 2nd or 3rd year student.

Selection Criteria

The Selection Criteria are:

• Qualities of the applicant, academic potential and degree to which they demonstrate commitment to values of social justice and equity (30%);
• Scientific quality of the proposed research project (40%);
• Relevance to the objectives of the Amuthan Medical Research Fund (10%);
• Feasibility of carrying out and completing the research in proposed time frame (10%); and
• Potential to build capacity in public health, infectious diseases or health services research in the tropics (10%).

Application Procedures

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

Applicants must submit with the official form, where appropriate:

• A written statement of no more than 500 words addressing the aims of the fund;
• A copy of their curriculum vitae; and
• A concise research project proposal (500 words) identifying the proposed work during the bursary, accompanied by an indication of support from a suitable supervisor.
• For projects involving human or animal participants, candidates must provide supporting evidence to demonstrate that the ethics application process is underway, with no anticipated hurdles.

Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.

The applicant authorises the Selection Committee to make such enquiries as to the applicant’s suitability to receive the bursary, which includes authorisation for the Selection Committee to examine the applicant’s academic record, and seek opinions from relevant members of the academic staff of this University or any other academic institution.

Selection Process

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

• Dean, College of Medicine and Dentistry (chair), or nominee;
• Discipline Head, General Practice and Rural Medicine, or nominee; and
• Associate Dean, Research & Post graduate Education, College of Medicine & Dentistry, or nominee.

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 applicant of sufficient merit to warrant an award.

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

Payment

Moneys payable to the recipient shall be paid in a single instalment at the commencement of the summer school research project or as otherwise determined by the selection committee.

Conditions of the Bursary

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 Complaint Management Policy and Procedures.

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.

A student may lodge a request for review of decision in accordance with the provisions of the Student Appeals Policy.