Government has awarded more than $65,000 in scholarships to a group of students planning to study for careers in public health.

The Dr. Barbara Ball Public Health Scholarships were awarded to seven students who “stood out” as likely to return to Bermuda after qualifying “and offer a great service to the Island’s healthcare system”.

The Ministry of Health offers scholarships for study in a number of areas including nursing, occupational therapy, speech therapy, dentistry, psychiatry, drug counselling, social work, occupational safety and environmental health. The Ministry also assists successful applicants with summer employment for the duration of the scholarship.

“I wish good luck to all of our scholarship winners as they embark on their future careers in healthcare,” Health Minister Jeanne Atherden said in a statement issued this morning.

“Recipients were chosen because they stood out to the selection committee as individuals who had the potential, upon completion of their studies, to return to Bermuda and offer a great service to the island’s healthcare system.”

This year’s recipients are:

LeRhonda Mills who will study Nursing at Coppin State University.

Dashante Burgess who will study Nursing at Middlesex University.

Amne Osseyran who will study Medicine at the University of the West Indies.

4 Angelita Trott who will study Nursing at Barry University.

Jasmin Caines who will study Medicine at Ross University School of Medicine.

Che-lei Trott who will study Forensic Pathology at Southern Adventist University.

Fiona Douglas who will complete an Master in Public Health Policy and Organisation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.