Dr. Carl Richard Jackson

Scholarship Background
The Dr. Carl Richard Jackson Scholarship, to which so many have generously donated, was established with the University of Sydney in 2009 in honour of Carl and will exist in perpetuity. (...further information on scholarship background)

Each year Carl’s Scholarship will be awarded to two Australian medical students to assist them to work and gain experience in a developing country. This experience will stay with them forever.(...Application details can be found here)

The students, who are selected by a panel comprised of a family member and representatives from the University, will spend between 4 to 8 weeks working in a Cambodian hospital, surgical rehabiliation facility, rural medical facility or a combination of these.

Why Cambodia?
Cambodia was chosen as the recipient country because of its overwhelming need for medical assistance and training. Carl experienced this first hand when he did his medical placement there in 2006. Cambodia is still re-establishing it’s national medical facilities after the devastation of the Pol-Pot era. It is fortunately being supported by NGO’s such as the Children’s Surgical Centre where Carl went in 2006.

All of the Cambodia Medical Facilities rely on medical support from doctors all over the world and Australian medical students will now be able to assist on a regular basis as a result of the Scholarship. (...further information on Cambodia)

Scholarship Recipients
The first two Scholarship recipients, Katherine Miller and Adrian Lo went to Cambodia in January of 2010 and both have produced reports (Impressions) on their experiences.

We have included excerpts here, but to read the full reports for these, plus those of all the Scholarship recipients, please visit the Scholarship Recipients page. I am sure you will find their Impressions demonstrate the importance of such opportunities not only for the students but for the Cambodian people.

Scholarship Direction
Following the Covid outbreak in 2020 and the ensuing restrictions on international travel, we revised, in consultation with the University, some of the Scholarship's conditions.

As noted in the July 2021 update, due to Covid restrictions the Scholarship was awarded to medical students in the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022 under temporary arrangements, as a post-elective 'award'.

In 2022, when international borders re-opened, the Dr Carl Richard Jackson Scholarship resumed in its original format i.e. as awarded to domestic fourth year medical students undertaking an Elective Placement in a developing country.

Also in 2022, the Scholarship was widened to include other developing countries and not being limited exclusively to Cambodia. However, Cambodia remains the preferred destination.

Since then the Scholarship has been awarded to recipients who undertook elective placements in Vietnam, Nepal, Thailand (near Myanmar) and The Philippines.