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The Health Science Alumni (HSA) hopes to set up a career mentor scheme as part of its scope of activities.

It is already helping former students with job-seeking by circulating information on vacant positions to all graduates, regardless of whether they are members of the society.

HSA member Victoria Gray, a Graduate Research Assistant in the School of Population Health, said if graduates needed help, they often emailed the HSA for advice or submitted their CVs.

The society aims to become part of the UWA Career Mentor Link, run through the Careers Centre.

“But Health Science itself is quite good for networking,” Ms Gray said. “You get to know people from across the years and you have unofficial mentors.”

The society, which was instigated as the result of a third year student assignment, has grown to a membership of 50 in less than 12 months since it was launched last April.
HSA secretary Ania Stasinska, who is an Associate Lecturer in Health Science in the SPH, said a survey of alumni showed they were interested in professional development on topics such as research-related skills, job hunting and project management. They also wanted a lecture series from industry experts.

In response, the HSA is running a variety of events, ranging from professional development to seminars and social functions. It intends to have an event each year at the time of graduation in order to introduce new graduates to HSA members.

There have been about 170 graduates since the degree was introduced, with the first students graduating in 2003. Graduates from the combined and single Health Science degrees are employed in Federal and State government departments, universities, the private sector and non-government organisations.