AIDA commits to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students in their medical journey. We advocate for best practice in relation to the enrolment, retention, and graduation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students.
There are many paths to enter a medical degree. Not sure where to begin? Here are some resources to help you get started:
- Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network provides advice and guides to help you determine which university will be the best fit for you.
- The Aspiration Initiative provides a list of scholarships and financial support options that you can apply for to help you through your studies as well as contact points for further advice.
How can AIDA help you?
Student support: Our Indigenous Medical Student members can access a range of services, including funding support to attend annual conferences and dedicated staff support to provide guidance and advocacy during times of need.
Member networking events: Mentoring is an important part of developing your skills and supporting others through their journeys into medicine. AIDA offers member networking events to facilitate mentoring opportunities within our membership throughout the year.
For more information, contact studentsupport@aida.org.au.
Advocacy
In recent years AIDA has developed policy statements relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Student Retention and Best Practice in Student Support for Indigenous Medical Students.
These statements support continued focus in this important area and build on AIDA’s 2006 publication Healthy Futures: defining best practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical students.
The AIDA 2008 publication Blueprint for Action: Pathways into the Health Workforce for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people sets out recommendations for maximising Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander participation in the health workforce, by promoting and improving pathways between school, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education, as well as retaining and building the capacity of the existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce by addressing ongoing support and career development needs.
For more information, visit our Resources page.
Visit the ‘Getting Started‘ tab to follow the medical pathway and find additional resources.