bongiorno group women in medicine grant
founded in memory of Tony Bongiornosupporting gender equity in medicine
coffee & chat
value: up to $10,000
applications open in June – click ‘notify me’ for an email reminder
about the grant
The Bongiorno Group Women in Medicine Grant champions gender equity in medicine by supporting Victorian and Tasmanian women doctors who are nearing completion of their specialty training or are in their first years of Fellowship. The grant funds learning and knowledge-sharing initiatives that contribute to gender equity in medicine and have a meaningful impact on the profession and others.
First established in 2024 as the Women in Surgery Grant in memory of Bongiorno Group’s co-founder, Tony Bongiorno, the grant has now expanded eligibility to all medical specialties. Tony was a great friend to many doctors and a pioneer promoter of gender equity since the early 1970s. As a founder of Bongiorno Group, Tony was a mentor, teacher and thought leader dedicated to education and the principle that career advancement should be based on ability, not gender. The grant is fully funded and administered by the Bongiorno Group.
grant activity
This grant supports a variety of professional development activities, including:
- conference presentation
- skills development
- research
- advocacy
- mentoring
Grant-funded activity may commence prior to application and must be completed by 31 December of the year following application.
grant timing
open
1 June '26
close
31 July '26
selection
August '26
awarding
September '26
activity
2026/2027
eligibility
applications are open to women medical doctors who are members of an Australian accredited specialist medical college (as recognised by the Australian Medical Council) who:
– are in their final three years of training or
– are in their first three years of Fellowship and
– are Australian citizens or permanent residents and
– live, train or have a primary practice in Victoria or Tasmania.
how to apply
When applications are open, click ‘apply now’ at the top of this page to access the online form (hosted by Jotform). You’ll be guided through a series of questions with specific word limits. Once started, you have up until the closing date to complete and submit your application.
important notes
Applications must be completed by the applicant (not by a third party).
All submitted data is securely stored in compliance with the Bongiorno Group Privacy Policy
your application will require
- your name, email, mobile number, AHPRA registration no
- a CV-style summary (including career background and employment history)
- details of your proposed grant activity (timeline and estimated costs)
- justification for the activity (why it’s needed and its expected impact)
- how the activity supports gender equity in medicine
selection and awarding
A selection panel of three to four women medical professionals and one Bongiorno Group representative will assess applications based on:
- clarity and details
- need for the proposed activity
- benefits of the activity
- feasibility and achievability
- contribution to gender equity in medicine
receiving the grant
The highest-scoring eligible applicant is offered the grant. To accept, they must:
• agree to the grant conditions
• submit a profile photo and a short (two-minute) video explaining their planned activity (video may be filmed on mobile or desktop)
• allow their video and photo to be used in promotional materials
See Women in Surgery Grant recipients’ video below.
Grant conditions include:
• the planned activity must align with the original application
• any proposed changes must be approved by the Bongiorno Group
• the grant is non-transferable
• payment is processed via EFT upon submission of an invoice
play video
congratulations to Dr Ash Asairinachan
We’re thrilled to introduce Dr Ash Asairinachan who was awarded the 2025 Bongiorno Group Women in Surgery Grant in support of her Fellowship in Paediatric ENT at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), UK.
Ash, who obtained her Fellowship in Otolaryngology in 2025, focused on paediatric airway surgery at GOSH as a Senior Clinical Fellow. As experts in paediatric airways, GOSH pioneers tracheal stenting, laryngotracheal reconstruction, and management of lymphovascular malformations.
Ash has now returned to Melbourne with world-class technical skills to improve access to paediatric airway patients in Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Melbourne. She is committed to building research and academic links between RCH and GOSH, and mentoring ENT trainees to pursue paediatric fellowships.
play video
meet our 2024 recipient – Dr Amy Gibbens
We were thrilled to award the inaugural 2024 Bongiorno Group Women in Surgery Grant to Dr Amy Gibbens.
At the time of receiving the grant, Amy was a final year Orthopaedic Surgery Trainee in Melbourne who planned to move to Launceston in early 2025 to begin her career as the state’s first female Orthopaedic Surgeon.
The Women in Surgery grant supported Amy in 2025 to undertake her Clinical Fellowship in Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Oxford University Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust in Oxford, UK. Now established in Launceston, Tasmania, Amy is working towards bridging 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.
Learn about Amy’s grant and career plans in her grant acceptance video.
completing the grant
Following completion of the funded activity, recipients must:
• submit a final report summarising their experience and outcomes
• record a short video outlining the impact of their grant activity
The recipient will receive a trophy recognising their achievement. Recipients may also be invited by the Bongiorno Group to speak at an event or participate in networking opportunities within their home state.
Repayment of funds will be required if:
• the final report and video are not submitted on time
• the report does not meet standards, even after an opportunity to revise
• the agreed activity is not completed within the grant period
