Successful applicants will have the opportunity to attend:
- Applicants must be an AOA trainee (associate) member or fellow in part-time or full-time employment. Members on parental leave are eligible to apply.
- Applicants must not have received any other AOA bursaries or prizes in the last two years.
- Applicants must be a financial member of AOA and of the relevant state/territory branch in which they reside.
- SA/NT applicants must work and live in a rural/remote area. FIFO surgeons are excluded from applying for this bursary.
- SA/NT trainee applicants must be located at their rural/remote post at the time of the AOA ASM to be eligible. For example, if you are posted in Alice Springs, you must be located in Alice Springs and travel to/from the ASM from Alice Springs.
To determine if you currently practice in an identified rural or remote area, use the Modified Monash Model M3-M7 category or Rural, Remote and Metro Area classification. The Health Workforce Locator can also be used to help determine a rural or remote classification.
Applicants are asked to provide brief supporting detail on their interest in the ASM and how their attendance will benefit their career and practice. This supporting detail will be used in the assessment process.
Members who meet all of the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply.
Allocation of bursaries will be undertaken by a conference bursary panel which may include representatives of the Rural Surgeons Committee, AOA head office allocated staff representative, state branch chair, and regional managers.
Applications will be judged on the following key factors:
- eligibility criteria
- offering support to members from as many rural and remote geographical regions as possible
- increasing rural and remote representation at the ASM.
Applicants are advised to discuss their attendance at the conference with their relevant employers and supervisors (if applicable).

Timing
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 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.