Inaugural Boots to Scrubs scholarship winner aims to address gaps in rural healthcare access

Thanh Thanh Thai, a first-year medical student from Darwin, Northern Territory, has been awarded the Avant-sponsored Boots to Scrubs scholarship, supporting rural women in medicine.

The scholarship is an initiative of the Australian Medical Student’s Association, founded by fellow medical students, Chloe Campbell and Georgia Goodhew. It aims to address Australia’s critical shortage of medical practitioners in rural and remote regions, which can result in poorer health outcomes for these communities compared to metropolitan areas.

Healthcare access experiences influenced Thanh’s career choice

Born and raised in Darwin, 31-year-old Thanh Thanh has witnessed rural healthcare disparities firsthand, navigating her own chronic pain and mobility issues following a spinal injury, with five years in a wheelchair and on crutches.  

“Having a disability impacted every aspect of my life and I went from being independent and self-sufficient to relying on others for basic tasks,” Thanh Thanh said. “The disparities in rural healthcare and the complexities of access I have seen my whole life have been a major factor in my decision to pursue a career in medicine.”

Scholarship provides practical support

The Boots to Scrubs scholarship includes a $7,500 award, a clothing voucher towards building a professional wardrobe, and mentorship from a female doctor already in rural medicine. This support will allow Thanh Thanh to reduce her work hours, focus on her studies, and purchase necessary resources to manage her disability. 

“I am independently funded, with no family support, relying on balancing significant working hours supplemented by the Disability Support Pension to pay for my medical expenses, study and the higher cost of living in Sydney. This will give me the opportunity to pursue unpaid positions in research and internships at health organisations to further my interest in public health, and disparities in rural healthcare access,” she said.

“A focus of my undergraduate studies was on wound healing and tropical infectious diseases, especially in Melioidosis. I hope to pursue a career in a specialty that will bring the largest benefit to my community, and supplement my clinical practice with research, as there is often a distinct lack of studies available from remote locations.”

Community and connection enhance healthcare

While studying in Sydney, Thanh Thanh maintains strong connections with her family and Northern Territory community. Her volunteering experience has included surf lifesaving in Darwin, and as a first aid officer with St John’s Ambulance.

“I know from experience a community connection is a major factor in developing trust with patients and fostering a holistic care approach. Too many doctors come and go from rural locations, but I am committed to the Territory and believe my experience, connection and passion for healthcare will make me a rural healthcare practitioner well equipped to serve Australia’s most rural residents and the population that has supported me my whole life,” Thanh Thanh said. “My focus and drive of my studies is to learn as much as I can to bring back to my community and fill the gaps in access and services that are so desperately needed.”

Avant sponsorship makes a difference

As major sponsor of the inaugural Boots to Scrubs scholarship, Avant is committed to helping rural women succeed in medicine. Supporting initiatives like these is one way we help medical students navigate their pivotal early years in medicine. We also provide resources for soft skill development, such as CV and interview skills, medico-legal essentials and preparing for internship.

For Thanh Thanh, the scholarship has broadened her horizons.