General News
8 August, 2025
Wade wins prestigious rural medicine scholarship
Horsham's Melanie Wade selected as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious George Golding Memorial Trust Scholarship, named by Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN).
Ms Wade is currently a second-year Doctor of Medicine student at Deakin University's Ararat campus.
She has plans to become a rural generalist, as she has spent more than 20 years working in the region as a nurse and midwife.
"I was born and raised in Horsham, where I now live with my husband and children," She said.
"I've spent my entire professional life working within the Western Victorian Primary Health Network region."
The $5000 scholarship honours Dr George Golding, the founder and CEO of the General Practitioners Association of Geelong, which is now WVPHN.
The program supports students pursuing careers in medical science, particularly those with a commitment to rural practice.
Ms Wade decided to study medicine after seeing the challenges rural communities are facing.
"Throughout my career, I've witnessed the challenges rural communities face in accessing timely and ongoing medical care," she said.
"These experiences made me realise that I wanted to make a deeper contribution to healthcare delivery in my community."
Ms Wade is now in her second year of the Rural Training Stream and plans to become a rural General Practitioner with advanced training in paediatrics.
She said the support from the scholarship would help ease the financial pressures of training while also validating her path.
"The George Golding Scholarship will make a significant difference in my journey to becoming a doctor," she said.
"It eases the financial pressure that comes with medical training, allowing me to focus more fully on my studies and clinical placements.
"Beyond financial support, the scholarship also affirms the importance of rural medical careers.
"I'm incredibly honoured to have been selected."
Ms Wade believes supporting students from regional and rural backgrounds is an essential step toward improving access and health outcomes in rural and regional areas.
"Research shows students with rural backgrounds are more likely to remain in or return to rural areas once they graduate," she said.
"By supporting rural students studying medicine, this will hopefully help build a more stable, community-focused healthcare workforce."
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