Abbey McKell is a medicine student studying at the University of NSW in Port Macquarie and is the latest recipient of a Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation scholarship.
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Originally from Port Macquarie she said she was grateful for the financial assistance to assist her in managing her day to day costs.
"I have been supporting myself since I moved out of home at 17 so this money is going to go a long way to helping me stay on top of my finances while studying," Abbey said.
"When I first decided to study medicine the only place I could do it was in Sydney but in my first year of study I was working 20-30 hours a week to support myself.
"Being from Port Macquarie it was so fantastic that I could move back to my home town in my second year of study."
Abbey said since the move back her studies have been able to again take priority in her life.
"Cost of living in Port Macquarie compared to Sydney is a lot better but having to support myself while studying has been a challenge," she said.
"I am so grateful for the scholarship which has significantly reduced the financial burden on me. I have been able to focus on my studies and have a balance between working and studying which is more manageable."
The scholarship program is an initiative designed to build strong and vibrant NSW rural communities.
The scholarships are awarded to students originally from rural areas who are studying at University or TAFE within New South Wales.
"Since I can remember I have wanted to study medicine because there are so many different things you can do once you graduate.
"At the moment I am thinking about becoming a rural GP because there is so much demand for that and I love the idea of being able to help a range of people where services are limited."
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