Katherine Edyvane Scholarship in Humanitarian Surgery

Applications for the 2024 Katherine Edyvane Scholarship will open mid-2023.  Stay tuned for updates on this page, coming soon.

The scholarship provides short term training activities and visits to Australia by worthy individuals aimed at improving health care in recipients’ countries.

The Katherine Edyvane Scholarship in Humanitarian Surgery was established through a bequest to the Foundation for Surgery from the family of Dr Katherine Edyvane FRACS, following her passing from breast cancer in 2015. 

Dr Edyvane was always committed to public health and to international medical outreach. In 2005 after gaining her Fellowship from RACS, she volunteered as Team Leader in the Earthquake Disaster Response in Kashmir, Pakistan in the same year. From delivering surgical care in tents in the freezing Kashmiri winter, she moved to Dili, Timor Leste as RACS Surgeon at the Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares in 2006.

Dr Edyvane closely mentored some of the country’s first surgical trainees (many of whom are now Consultants). Amidst her surgical work and mentoring of trainee surgeons, she devoted herself warmly and generously to improving health resources for the community. 

The scholarship is offered annually and may cover training/course fees, reasonable travel accommodation expenses related to the training activity, visa application fees, and living allowances whilst in training.

The Katherine Edyvane Scholarship in Humanitarian Surgery is open to qualified surgeons, medical specialists and doctors in specialist training who are citizens of Timor-Leste. and other targeted developing countries in the Asia Pacific region. Prospective applicants should refer to the RACS website for a list of eligible countries. Preference will be given to eligible applicants from Timor-Leste.

Applicants must be a citizen of, and permanently residing in the country from which the application is made.

Applicants must be working in a public/government institution as their primary appointment. Applicants working in private practice as their primary appointment are not eligible for the scholarship.

Applications must:

• be written by the applicant;
• be accompanied by a letter of nomination from a health professional participating in the RACS Global Health Program or a RACS Fellow, and a letter of support from the applicant’s superior;
• be supported by the identified host supervisor and host institution, if applicable; and
• be submitted directly to RACS.

Scholarships Coordinator, Global Health
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Email:  scholarship.gh@surgeons.org