Ms Frusher is one of the just four Victorians to receive the Give Them Wings scholarship, which encourages rural students to seek a career in the health industry.

The $2500 boost will help cover some of the costs Ms Frusher faces while studying her first year of nursing at Deakin University and she will also receive “a Royal Flying Doctor experience”. 

While the money will help with paying for books and travel expenses, Ms Frusher said she was keen to see the RFDS in action in the outback.

“My dad used to drive tour buses to central Australia and saw first-hand what a difference the Flying Doctor made to those communities,” she said.

“His outback stories inspired me to go for this scholarship.”

Born and bred in Warrnambool, Ms Frusher said she was inspired to go into nursing by her aunt, who works at Warrnambool Base Hospital and Lyndoch Living.

“I want to be involved in helping people and nursing is the perfect profession to do that,” the former Emmanuel College student said. 

“I’ve already been on placement and seeing that smile on a patient’s face makes it all worthwhile.”

RFDS Victoria chief executive Scott Chapman said there was a need for young health professionals in country areas.

“The Flying Doctors understand how crucial it is for rural communities to have access to quality medical services,” he said.

Rural Health Workforce Australia chief executive Greg Mundy said the winning entrants were impressive.

“They are impressive young people who represent the future of rural health,” he said.

The scholarship is awarded in conjunction with Rural Health Workforce Australia.