$150K in clinical placement support
New Zealand’s biggest provider of health sector graduates, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), is helping address hardship faced by students on clinical placement outside of Auckland.
An initiative developed with the university’s student association AUTSA, will see up to 140 students whose placements are outside Auckland (or outside Northland for Midwifery students) receive $100 per week during their placement.
Up to 140 students are expected to be eligible for this clinical placement grant, which begins in Semester 2 this year. The annual investment will be up to $150,000.
Student President, Alicia Lemmer, says the grant aims to ease financial pressures so all learners can fully engage in their placements.
“We know clinical placements outside of Auckland are necessary, but they create a financial burden on our students through costs such as transport, paying rent in both home and placement locations, and higher living costs due to accommodation arrangements.”
“Many students work while they study and for them, full-time placement commitments also mean a loss of income,” says Ms Lemmer.
The process for receiving the financial grant has been streamlined, with eligible students receiving notification and a simple process with minimum administration for the student.
AUT’s Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Professor Brett Cowan says the initiative addresses a significant issue for many students.
“AUT’s health graduates help New Zealanders in every part of the country in a vast number of clinical disciplines, providing support to ensure our students can really focus on their learning makes sense.”