The Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust has announced application details for its Travelling Scholarship for 2015/2016. The annual Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust Travelling Scholarship awards up to $10,000.00, which may be divided between two recipients. The scholarship assists medical students to travel internationally to a rural situation to observe new concepts, develop their own skills and share their learning with other students when they return.

“Scholarships offered by the Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust assist young people to spend valuable time in innovative and challenging overseas situations, to return, and to become the new generation of idea generators here in New Zealand,” said Mr John Farry, Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust Chairman.

A very happy team post delivery of a healthy baby girl via c-section

Natalie Irving 2015 scholarship recipient and a surgical team at Siaya District Hospital in Kenya

General Practitioner Dr Pat Farry was a tireless advocate and champion of rural health before he passed away in 2009. He devoted much of his career to advocating and lobbying for improvements and funding for rural medicine as well as mentoring and teaching rural healthcare professionals.

The Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust was established in March 2010 to support the sustainability and quality of health services to rural communities. One of the ways in which the Trust does this is by providing scholarships for undergraduate medical students and young rural health professionals said Mr John Farry.

Since 2011, sixteen medical students have benefitted from the Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust’s scholarship programme. While the Trust is based in Dr Farry’s hometown of Queenstown and has links to the University of Otago School of Medicine where he taught, the student’s own home bases and careers are New Zealand wide.

Recipients to date have originally come from Thames, Paraparaumu, Tauranga, Ngatea, Matamata, Fielding, Darfield, Christchurch and Auckland before studying at the University of Otago School of Medicine campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington or on RMIP (Rural Medical Immersion Programme) placement in Dannevirke, Blenheim, Greymouth, Queenstown, Balclutha and Masterton.

Snorkelling off Iririki Island – best snorkelling of the trip.

Laura Hammersley, 2015 scholarship recipient takes time out to snorkelling off Iririki Island, Vanuatu.

“The Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust’s vision is for our work and the experiences that these students and young health professionals gain to ultimately contribute to the quality of rural health services in all regions of New Zealand,” said Mr John Farry.

Application forms can be downloaded at here and close on 25 September 2015. Finalist applicants will be advised mid October with the scholarship recipient(s) announced late October 2015.

For further information:

• Applications open for the 2015 Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust Travelling Scholarship on 15 August 2015. Download an application form.
• See a full list of past scholarship and grant recipients.
• Follow blogs by Pat Farry Rural Health Education scholarship and grant recipients.
• The Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust is a registered charitable trust and donations are tax deductible. Donating to support the Trust’s work is simple. We accept donations via online banking, cheque, direct debit authority or credit card (using Givealittle by the Telecom Foundation). Donate now.

ENDS

Contact:
Claire Dooney
Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust
www.PatFarryTrust.co.nz

Tel: 027 632 0821