A HEALTH education grants system supporting young Mount Gambier residents in their studies is delivering positive results for the region’s medical sector.
Past recipients of the Mount Gambier and District Tertiary Health Education Grants program were on hand Tuesday as the latest round of funding was launched at City Hall.
Now well into her health career, UFS Chemist pharmacist Amelia Hancock is one of 142 students to receive the $2000 grant, revealing how it helped ease the burden of leaving home to attend university.
“I was actually lucky enough to get the grant two years running and it was a huge help to me at university,” Ms Hancock said.
Upon finishing her degree, Ms Hancock worked as a pharmacist in the state’s capital city but with a desire to forge strong connections with her customers, something she felt was difficult in the fast-paced environment.
“I think when you are working in the city you are kind of seen as just another number,” she said.
“I had worked at UFS during the holidays throughout my degree and it was just a completely different vibe.
“You get to know the people who come in, you know all of the staff, it is just a really positive work environment.
“When I was working in the city, I would be working late nights and every weekend, but now I have come home to Mount Gambier, my work life balance has improved so much.
“I think my time spent in Adelaide definitely taught me a lot and shaped my career, but moving home was the best thing I could do.”
Grant chairman Ken Stafford hoped students who moved away for health education would return home to the Blue Lake city to continue their careers.
“I am delighted to report that we are now aware of a number of previous recipients working full-time in Mount Gambier, including Chloe Slarks, who received a grant in 2011 and is now based locally working as a paramedic with the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS),” he said.
Returning to the region only a few months ago, Ms Slarks has become an integral part of the city’s SAAS team which she said provided her with an excellent work and life balance.
“I was really excited but nervous moving to the city to complete my degree,” she said.
“When I first moved up, I had no idea the grant existed, so there were a lot of costs I had to cover which were quite stressful.
“For instance, my partner is from Adelaide so throughout his degree he could just live at home.
“He did not have the burden of paying for somewhere to live but also he did not have to travel back and forth for holidays and weekends.
“It all adds up, so having something like this to help out is amazing.”
After spending a number of years living in Adelaide, Ms Slarks said she was grateful to have the opportunity to return home.
“Positions are a little more easy to come by in the country versus the city, but with my partner being a paramedic as well, we had to wait for two vacancies to open up,” she said.
“We were lucky enough to get our wish last year and now I am giving him a taste of country life.
“Working in Mount Gambier is quite different to being in the city, we are always busy down here like in Adelaide, but we do not have things like ramping going on here and we get a bit more time with the team.
“This means we can spend more time training and learning to further our skills – I think coming home was a great move for our careers as well as our lives.”
The grants, which support students studying approved health degrees outside of Mount Gambier are now open, with applications closing on March 31.
Visit www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/theg for more information.
