Building resilient regional and remote Queensland communities.
2021 QCoal Foundation Scholarship Recipient, Holly McLean with QCoal Foundation CEO, Sylvia Bhatia
Holly’s Story: Building Better Health Outcomes in Regional Queensland
The QCoal Foundation has long recognised the need to support future health professionals from regional areas. Holly McLean, the 2021 QCoal Foundation Scholarship recipient, is now in the final stages of her dental surgery degree and remains committed to returning to regional Queensland to serve her community.
Meet Holly McLean!
- 2021 QCoal Foundation Scholarship Recipient
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery, James Cook University (Cairns)
- Home Community: Emerald
Holly is passionate about improving access to oral healthcare in rural communities and embodies the impact that scholarship support can have on students from regional communities by enabling them to thrive academically and pursue careers that benefit regional communities.
Reflecting on receiving the scholarship, Holly recalls,
“I remember applying and then never thinking anything of it. I thought, ‘there will be so many people applying,’ and then in my first week I got an email saying I received it, and I remember thinking, ‘this is not true!’ But it was the best news ever.”
For Holly, the scholarship was more than just financial support, it was a source of motivation.
“It helped me do better in my studies because I was more driven to do well.”
In addition to her academic commitments, Holly believes in the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance by looking after her well-being through running and spending time with her friends. Now in her final year of studies at JCU, Holly is looking forward to spending most of 2025 in the clinic working with patients as she prepares to embark on her career.
Holly’s goal is clear: to return to regional Queensland and improve oral health access for people in regional communities. Holly’s dedication to oral health and love for small-town living demonstrates how targeted support can help shape the future of healthcare in regional and remote communities.
