Farmer suicide the focus of top essay

Eileen Baker has won the $3000 Australian National University Medical School Bega Cheese Scholarship.

Only students in the rural stream can apply for the scholarship and they must write an essay that addresses a health issue affecting a rural farming community.

Ms Baker chose to write about the reasons why farmers may commit suicide as she wanted to learn more about the problem.

“Farming is a pretty tough business to be in,” she said.

“You don’t have the financial security other businesses have.” 

Originally from Canberra, the third year medical student is spending a year based at the Cooma Rural Clinical School.  

She was recently presented with her prize at the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre.

“It’s a real honour to be recognised especially from Bega Cheese, a local organisation committed to helping rural health,” she said.