Encouraging the next generation of Indigenous doctors

When Wavelength International saw a need to bring more Indigenous health professionals into rural and regional communities, they partnered with UNSW to make it happen: one student at a time.

Claire Ponsford and Dr John Bethell launched their medical recruitment business in 1999, armed with a vision to help passionate health professionals build meaningful careers and to strengthen the health system with each position they filled.

In the early days, the extreme need for doctors in rural areas quickly became clear, especially in remote areas home to vulnerable Indigenous communities. Giving back had always been part of the plan, and while in the first 10 years of business Wavelength made many affiliations and donations to charitable organisations, the founders were looking to make a more direct and meaningful impact. The idea of supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to study medicine soon took hold, and their partnership with UNSW began in 2011.

“We were a much smaller business then, so the amount we could donate was smaller,” explains Claire, “but we worked with the UNSW Scholarships Office to find the thing that would be most beneficial given the amount of money that we had to offer.”

In 2011, Wavelength began funding the Indigenous Travel Scholarship at UNSW to cover the cost for students to travel back home to family and friends during semester breaks. Over the next 12 years, 11 medical students benefitted from this scholarship. Over time, the conversation with UNSW turned to one of the biggest barriers for would-be students: the cost of accommodation. In early 2023, UNSW launched the Wavelength International Indigenous Medical Accommodation Scholarship (replacing the Travel Scholarship), with an annual stipend of up to $25,000 to cover a student’s accommodation costs through to graduation.

“The support from the scholarship has made my educational journey more fulfilling and less stressful, empowering me to pursue my academic and career goals with greater confidence,” says Patrick Kerrigan, a recipient of the newly established scholarship.

“I definitely want to work in rural and remote communities, such as up in Arnhem Land, like my parents have done with teaching, because I feel like that’s where a huge burden of health and disease lies and where I can really make a difference.”

Since the scholarship support began, Claire and Wavelength have connected with students above and beyond providing financial support. Over the years, many students have taken the opportunity to visit the Wavelength offices, meeting with staff, sharing stories and perspectives, and attending networking events.

“I think that's what's given us the most fulfilment – meeting some of the students and hearing their stories,” says Claire. “It's really inspiring, and it's certainly engaged our staff in how meaningful this donation actually is.”

There is still much work to be done, but Claire is pleased to reflect on the impact that supporting even one student can have.

“All of the students we’ve met over the years have a strong desire to give back,” she says. “They return to their communities, they speak at the local high schools, they say to students who are really not that much younger than them, ‘You can do this. Don't think that it's closed off to you.’ I think that's a big thing – a broader awareness of what's possible. If you really want to pursue a career in medicine, you can.”