GPRA NT scholarships to attract and support GP trainees in remote communities

A new scholarship program is set to make a lasting impact on the NT’s healthcare landscape.

Left to Right - GPRA Board Director and NT GP Dr Siobhan Hensey, Dr Asim Razi (Darwin), Dr Sophie Yeates (Nhulunbuy/Gove), Dr Ella Heggen (Darwin), Dr Shauna Hill (Alice Springs), Ada Wilmadda Parry, Dr Leah Ginnivan (Wadeye), and Dr Anna Walmsley (Darwin). Picture: GPRA / Supplied.

General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) has launched its 2025 NT Scholarships, offering financial support to GP trainees while aiming to boost doctor numbers in rural and remote areas.

The initiative includes four scholarships designed to encourage medical trainees to pursue careers in the NT.

The Dr Debbie Stach Northern Territory GP Registrar of the Year Award offers $10,000 to a GP registrar who demonstrates excellence in medicine, professionalism, and a commitment to Indigenous health outcomes.

The Ada Wilmadda Parry Aboriginal Health Scholarship provides $5,000 to two registrars committed to improving Indigenous health and cultural competence.

General Practitioners Registrars Australia Board Director Siobhan Hensey.

For those interested in pediatrics, the Professor Alan Walker Pediatric Scholarship grants $5,000 to up to three registrars pursuing further education in the field. Meanwhile, the GPRA Northern Territory Rural and Remote Scholarship, worth $20,000, is designed to attract two prospective GP registrars to train and practise in remote NT communities.

GPRA President Dr Chris Dickie said the program builds on last year’s success and hopes to address the longstanding challenge of attracting and retaining doctors in the NT.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural scholarships, we are once again thrilled to deliver these opportunities,” he said.

“They not only support current NT-based GP registrars, but also aim to attract prospective registrars to the NT.”

Dr Siobhan Hensey, an NT-based GP and GPRA board director, said the program could be life-changing for recipients.

“Training in the NT was a life-changing experience for me. I fell in love with the people, the work, and the environment,” she said.

“These scholarships provide future GPs with the opportunity to experience the same rewarding journey.”

Applications close on April 24, 2025. More details are available on the GPRA website.

Originally published as GPRA NT scholarships to attract and support GP trainees in remote communities