bongiorno group women in surgery grant
founded in memory of Tony Bongiornopromoting gender equity in surgery
coffee & chat
value: $10,000
2024 applications are now closed
play video
congratulations to Dr Amy Gibbens
We’re thrilled to introduce Dr Amy Gibbens who has been awarded the 2024 Bongiorno Group Women in Surgery Grant.
Amy is a final year Orthopaedic Surgery Trainee in Melbourne who is moving to Launceston in early 2025 to begin her career as the state’s first female Orthopaedic Surgeon.
The Women in Surgery grant is supporting Amy in 2025 to embark on a Clinical Fellowship in Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Oxford University Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust in Oxford, UK. Amy plans to help bridge a gap in Tasmania by offering a dedicated paediatric orthopaedic service, reducing a need for children and their families to travel to Melbourne for care.
Hear about Amy’s grant and career plans in the linked video.
about the grant
The Bongiorno Group Women in Surgery Grant promotes gender equity in the surgical workforce by supporting women who are Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Victorian and Tasmanian surgical trainees and surgeons. The grant funds learning and knowledge sharing activities that have a positive impact on others.
The grant is newly established in 2024 in memory of Tony Bongiorno who was a great friend to many surgeons and a pioneer promoter of gender equity in the workforce since the early 1970s.
A founding partner of the Bongiorno Group, Tony was committed to enhancing the lives of all who knew him. Tony was foremost a teacher, a mentor and an industry thought leader. He was passionate about education and believed career progression should be based on ability rather than gender.
The grant is administered and funded by the Bongiorno Group.
grant activity
The grant supports a range of activities that extend learning and knowledge-sharing and benefit the recipient and others. Examples include:
- conference and course participation
- skills development
- research
- advocacy
- mentoring
Grant activity may commence before application and needs to be completed by 31 December of the year following application.
grant timing
open
1 April '24
close
31 July '24
selection
August
awarding
Sept
activity
completion
applying
you can apply if you:
- are a current RACS member (Trainee, SIMG or Fellow)
- are an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or an SIMG)
- live, train or have a primary practice in Victoria or Tasmania and continue to primarily practice or train in your state
- identify as a woman
You can apply on behalf of a mixed gender team where you will lead and participate in the planned team activity. You can’t apply for this grant if you have restrictions placed on your practice and/or your practice is under review by a regulatory authority or hospital.
to apply
Application open and close dates are listed at the top of this webpage. Before the opening date, you can register your interest and we’ll email you a reminder when applications open.
The ‘apply now’ button is visible at the top of this page when applications are open. Once through to the online application (hosted by Jotform), you’ll be asked to write responses as guided by the word count. You may save and return to your application at any time during the opening period.
You’ll need to complete the online application yourself – someone else can’t do this on your behalf.
All data submitted in your application is securely stored and complies with the Bongiorno Group Privacy Policy
your application responses will include:
- your name, email, mobile number, RACS ID
- information typically included on a CV (personal summary, employment history and career information)
- an outline of your planned grant activity (including timing and estimated costings)
- justification for your planned grant activity (why is it needed?)
- what you believe the positive impact will be
- how the planned activity supports gender equity in the surgical workforce
selection and awarding
The selection panel is comprised of women representing RACS and the Bongiorno Group.
The selection panel will look at:
- the quality of the application (clarity and detail)
- the need for the activity
- the impact of the activity
- that the activity is achievable
- that the activity supports gender equity in surgery
You’ll be notified in writing of the selection outcome.
receiving the grant
The top scored applicant is congratulated and offered the grant. To accept, they need to agree to grant conditions and submit a profile photo and two-minute video describing their planned grant activity (this may be filmed on mobile or desktop). Both the video and photo may be shared in marketing activities to promote the grant.
Grant conditions include that the activity is completed within the grant period, proposed changes must be agreed to by the Bongiorno Group and the grant is not transferable to others. The recipient is asked to provide an invoice for EFT payment.
completing the grant
Following the grant activity, the recipient completes a report, submits a short video outlining the outcomes of their grant activity and receives a certificate. They may be invited by the Bongiorno Group to ‘meet and greet’ or speak at a meeting or event in their home state.
