The AOA OWL ASM Bursary Program


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AOA Champions of Change Working Group established the AOA OWL ASM Bursary Program in 2023 to encourage and facilitate attendance at AOA's flagship scientific meeting among emerging female orthopaedic surgeons.

The 85th AOA Annual Scientific Meeting, with the theme ‘Connection’, will take place at the Grand Chancellor in Hobart from 12 to 16 October 2025.

Ten (10) OWL bursaries will provide registration to the ASM, open to:

  • three female AOA fellows
  • two female AOA trainees
  • three female junior doctors (non-members)
  • two female medical students (non-members)

What's included?

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to attend:

What's covered?

Full costs of the conference registration, including a social function. Successful candidates will be required to cover costs of their flights and accommodation (if applicable). 

Eligibility criteria

Applications are open to female AOA early-career fellows (in their first ten years of practice), female AOA trainees, female junior doctors, and medical students who:

  • are in a part-time or full-time employment capacity
  • are financial members of AOA (only applicable to AOA fellows and associates)
  • may be on maternity leave
  • have not received any other AOA bursaries or prizes in the last two years

Applicants are asked to provide brief supporting detail on their interest in the ASM and how their attendance will benefit their practice and/or career.

Members who meet all of the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply.

Application and selection

Apply via the online form by 1 June 2025.

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You will need to log in to access and complete the application form so that your application can be associated with your details in our database. Not a member and don’t yet have an account? Just click ‘create a non-member account’ on the login page.


Allocation of bursaries will be undertaken by a conference bursary panel which may include representatives of the Orthopaedic Women’s Link Committee, AOA head office allocated staff representative, state branch chairs, and regional managers. The bursary panel will review:

  • eligibility criteria
  • the aim to support female and early-career members from as many geographical regions as possible
  • the aim to support female medical students and junior doctors interested in orthopaedics.

Applicants are advised to discuss their attendance at the conference with their relevant employers and supervisors.

Timings
The proposed timing is set as follows: 

  • Bursary applications open 1 May 2025 
  • Bursary applications close 1 June 2025

A decision will be made and successful recipients will be notified by the 30 June 2025.

It is not possible to provide feedback on applications, and no correspondence regarding decisions on applications will be entered into.

If you have any questions, please contact susie.obeid@aoa.org.au.