UGM gives a positive response to the cooperation with regional government of Purbalingga, particularly regarding scholarship for medical students. This was stated by UGM Vice Rector of Cooperation and Alumni, Dr. Paripurna, S.H., M.Hum., LL.M., during the visit of the Regent of Purbalingga, Tasdi, S.H., M.H., on Tuesday (16/1) at UGM Main Office.
According to Paripurna, to realize the scholarship programme can be conducted during student admissions both through regular and partnership intakes. Particularly for Medical Education Department, the prospective students have to meet the requirements and be able to compete with thousands of other prospective students.
Paripurna further said in the future this cooperation will be followed up by the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Regent of Purbalingga and UGM Rector. Therefore, the partnership programme is expected to give a bigger opportunity to prospective students from Purbalingga to continue their study at UGM.
Meanwhile, the Regent of Purbalingga, Tasdi, said starting from 2018, the regional government of Purbalingga had provided a scholarship programme for 36 new high school graduates to continue their study at Faculty of Medicine UGM. This consists of 18 prospective grantees from underprivileged families and 18 others from general families. After finishing their study, they will be assigned as doctors in their hometown.
“We hope that in the next 5 to 10 years, every village in Purbalingga has a doctor and the One Village One Doctor vision can be realized,” said Tasdi.
The Regent also said aside from addressing the lack of medical workforce in Purbalingga, the medical scholarship programme also aims to become a long-term investment for human resource development in medical sector.
“The Index of Human Development in Purbalingga is still low which is in the 27th position of 35 regencies/cities in Central Java province. We hope this program becomes one of the solutions to increase the ranks in the index,” he added.