Two medical graduates from The University of Western Australia who are passionate about the future of science in Australia have been awarded 2024 Fulbright Scholarships.

Dr Britt Suann, who works as a resident medical officer at the Child and Adolescent Health Service, hopes to train in paediatrics and public health.

Dr Suann said she was extremely humbled and grateful to have been awarded the scholarship and will be moving to Boston, in the United States, to study a Master of Public Health at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard University’s Public Health School.

“To say my mind has been blown by the opportunity would be an understatement,” she said.

“A Master of Public Health will give me an education in health policy, epidemiology and health economics to help promote a more culturally safe and psychologically safe Australian healthcare system.”

Dr Jamie Bellinge works as a clinical doctor in nuclear medicine at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital where he uses PET scans, an imaging test that uses radioactive material, to diagnose cancers, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

Dr Bellinge said he was ecstatic to learn he had been awarded the scholarship which would take him to Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

“The work being done there is world leading and I’m so excited to immerse myself in it,” he said.

Dr Bellinge aims to pursue a career as a clinical academic, continue lecturing, and focus on nuclear medicine and cardiovascular disease research.

“There is a big need in to improve the diagnosis, prognostication and management of certain cardiovascular diseases in Australia,” he said.

“I hope to develop novel techniques in the nuclear medicine field to address these deficits.”

The pair were honoured to join a prestigious list of Fulbright Scholarship recipients and have the opportunity to be ambassadors for Australia as well as having the chance to experience some favourite American pass times.

Dr Bellinge, a big sports fan, will be living in the hometown of the New England Patriots and is hoping to go to some NFL as well as baseball games. Dr Suann hopes to take advantage of living near snow fields and spending some of her free time learning to snowboard and ski.

Applications are open for next year’s Fulbright Scholarships across student, scholar, professional and research categories.