Each year, the RFDS Tasmania Scholarship program offers Tasmanian medical and dental students the chance to experience firsthand the realities of delivering care in remote and rural Australia.
For two of the 2025 recipients, the program provided unforgettable insights into the challenges and rewards of working far beyond city boundaries.
RFDS John Flynn Dental Assistant Scholarship recipient, Monique Clark, joined the RFDS dental team in Tasmania’s Bicheno, where access to dental care is more than 62 kilometres away. Here, she witnessed the profound impact of bringing essential services directly to isolated communities.
What stood out most was the compassion shown by the RFDS team as they worked with local primary school children.
She recalled clinicians gently holding children’s hands while administering “sleepy juice,” reassuring them with calm voices and genuine kindness.
This opportunity has profoundly shaped my understanding of community and solidified my passion for dental assisting.
Monique ClarkMonique said, “I envision my future in rural and remote work, with my heart and community firmly rooted in the south of the state.”
For RFDS and Commercial Travellers Association 4th Year Medical Student Scholarship recipient, Nicholas Yam, travelling to South Australia allowed him to experience clinics in some of the country’s harshest environments.
“I had always dreamed of being a part of the Royal Flying Doctors Service, after visiting the base when I was younger,” Nicholas said. “So when I was offered a 3-week placement in South Australia with the RFDS, I was ecstatic.”
One memorably hot day Nicholas’s pilot rushed the crew back to the plane, explaining that they were not permitted to take off in temperatures over 50 degrees and the plane’s thermometer read 49.
As Monique and Nicholas take their next steps into their careers, their scholarship journeys stand as a testament to the power of real-world rural experience in shaping the next generation of health professionals.
Programs like the RFDS Tasmania Scholarships not only open doors for passionate students, they strengthen the future of rural health itself.
With every placement, every remote clinic, and every conversation with community members, these students carry forward a renewed commitment to equity in healthcare.
Their stories reflect a bright and determined future, one where skilled, compassionate clinicians continue to bridge distances, uplift communities, and ensure that no matter how vast the landscape, quality care reaches every corner of Tasmania and beyond.
The future of rural and remote healthcare depends on passionate people who want to make a difference. Please consider donating to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tasmania.
Together, we can continue delivering vital care to all Tasmanians.
