Building a strong and secure medical research workforce in Victoria

We’re providing significant support for the state’s health and medical researchers, with a new workforce action plan backed by almost $3 million in funding.

The landmark Health and Medical Research Workforce Action Plan outlines the Government’s roadmap to build a more diverse, secure and highly skilled workforce. The Workforce Action Plan is the first targeted action plan under the Health and Medical Research Strategy 2022-32.

Victoria is a leader in medical research. The state has 18 medical research institutes, 11 universities and more than 30,000 workers including scientists, clinicians and support staff. Plus, our state is responsible for over 40 per cent of Australia’s research output in medical and health sciences.

The Action Plan is a roadmap to address future workforce needs:

• increasing collaboration
• attracting talent and building skills
• promoting job security
• increasing diversity across the sector.

A key initiative of the Action Plan is the Fostering Achievement in Research (FAIR) Fellowships program. The program has awarded almost $1 million in funding to medical researchers in Victoria who are pursuing life-saving projects.

The FAIR Fellowships program supports early to mid-career medical researchers in Victoria who previously missed out on the Federal Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council.

The Fellowships ensure we retain a diverse pool of talent, supporting outstanding emerging leaders who face challenges to success. This includes women, Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Victoria has emerged as a global hub for medical research thanks to more than $1 billion in Government funding over the last decade – driving incredible breakthroughs in treatment and patient care.