Growing up in a community with access to only one medical practitioner, Boorowa's Gabriela Corcoran understands the importance of rural doctors.
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The fourth year medical student has been announced as one of 55 recipients of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation rural scholarships for 2015.
With a passion for working with people and a keen interest in rural healthcare and mental health issues, the 21-year-old looks forward to her time as a future GP and becoming fully involved in the community she works in.
RAS Foundation scholarships are awarded to students originally from rural areas, and offer $5,000 for full-time study and $2,500 for part-time study.
The news comes a month after research by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) revealed university students from disadvantaged groups, including those from regional or remote locations, have a lower completion rate than the national average.
RAS Foundation Executive Officer, Kate Ross, said the scholarships support a diverse range of education and training pursuits, and are designed to ease the financial burden of higher education and encourage students who want to make a contribution to rural NSW.
"The RAS Foundation is committed to helping rural Australians realise their potential through education and training. Each year we are impressed with the quality of applicants and inspired by their journeys," Ms Ross said.
"There are some remarkable stories amongst this group of scholars - they come from a variety of backgrounds and each has a story to tell about why education, as well as giving back to the local community, is so important to them.
"We look forward to supporting these rural-minded students them as they work towards achieving their goals," Ms Ross said.
In 2015, the total value of Rural Scholarships awarded was $267,500. Since the scholarship program began in 2011, the RAS Foundation has granted over one million dollars to support 227 deserving rural students.