Applications open for 2026 AMA Indigenous Medical Scholarship
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students are invited to apply for the Australian Medical Association’s 2026 Indigenous Medical Scholarship.
Applications for the 2026 scholarship opened on Saturday and will close on 31 January 2026.
Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a medical degree in Australia and have completed at least one year.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said the scholarship was a crucial part of the AMA’s long-running efforts to grow the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical workforce to help improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The AMA hopes to build on the increasing success of the scholarship program, which started in 1994. This year was the first time in the scheme’s history that three individual scholarships were awarded in a single year off the back of support from generous donors.
“Evidence shows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience better health outcomes when they are directly involved in the design and delivery of their healthcare models — yet First Nations peoples remain underrepresented in the medical profession,” Dr McMullen said.
The scholarship has supported many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students on their journey to medicine, including Australia’s first Indigenous surgeon Professor Kelvin Kong, and prominent Indigenous clinician and researcher Professor Alex Brown.
Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association acting President Dr Olivia O’Donoghue said: “This scholarship is more than financial support — it’s a powerful symbol of recognition and solidarity.
“It sends a clear message: our communities matter, our aspirations are valid, and our leadership in medicine is essential to creating lasting change. This ongoing partnership also reflects a shared commitment to addressing the underrepresentation of Indigenous doctors and building a culturally safe and inclusive healthcare system for all Australians.”
