Scholarships for
African scholars
SCHOLARSHIP CLOSED
We award two scholarships to a doctor or nurse living and working in Africa, outside of South Africa. Preference is given to practitioners with knowledge in travel medicine and who are committed to expanding travel health services in their country.
Note: When you apply for the IAMAT-Violet Williams Travel Medicine Scholarship, you will also be considered for the IAMAT-Robert & Haru Fisher Travel Medicine Scholarship.
IAMAT-Violet Williams Scholarship and the IAMAT-Robert & Haru Fisher Scholarship
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Course: 5 days
Clinical observations: 3 days
Partners: Southern African Society of Travel Medicine and Travel Doctor clinic
Are you eligible for this scholarship?
This scholarship is awarded to a doctor or nurse living and working in Africa, outside of South Africa. You are eligible for a scholarship if you:
- Are a doctor or nurse who is licensed to practice in your country of residence
- Have knowledge in travel medicine and currently care for inbound and / or outbound travellers in your practice
- Have proven ability to expand the practice of travel medicine in your workplace and region / country
- Have excellent proficiency in written and spoken English
- Are 40 years old or younger
The scholarship opportunity
The IAMAT scholar attends a five-day Travel Medicine Course offered by the Southern African Society of Travel Medicine in association with the University of the Witwatersrand and participates in clinical observations for 3 days at the Travel Doctor clinic in Johannesburg.
The intensive course addresses all aspects of travel medicine, including patient-centered care, pre- and post-travel health protocols, and case studies. Prior to the course, the scholars are expected to study the provided educational materials to facilitate participation in the course. The scholars must write two exams (at the beginning and end of the course) and submit a travel medicine project. A Certificate of Competence will be issued by the University of the Witwatersrand upon successful completion.
We pay for the course tuition, educational materials, local transportation, and accommodations. The recipient is responsible for transportation to South Africa and any additional miscellaneous costs. Upon successful completion of the course, IAMAT will reimburse the scholar for the airfare (economy class).
The scholarship process
The candidate applies directly to the SASTM to receive the application form which includes submitting a 500-word essay explaining your interest in travel medicine and how you plan to expand travel medicine in your country.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed and the successful scholar will receive a package of study materials which must be reviewed to prepare for the exam that takes place prior to the course. The scholars will also complete an evaluation following the training.
The scholarships are administered on our behalf by the Southern African Society of Travel Medicine. SASTM’s mission is to guide the profession in all aspects relating to the practice of travel medicine, including training and accrediting travel health professionals.

Vi’s Story
The IAMAT-Violet Williams Travel Medicine Scholarship is named in memory of Violet Williams, a longtime donor supporter.
Violet Turnbull Williams was born on February 14, 1922 in Yorkshire, England, and grew up in the village of Ormesby. She was one of three remarkable children born to Fred and Em (née Gower) Turnbull.
Because of her reputation at the one-room school in the village and her love of reading, Vi, as she was known, was given the run of the library in the Squire’s manor house. She was the first student in that little school to be granted a scholarship to extend her education. She was all set to continue to university, but World War II interrupted that. Though she never received an official degree, her love of learning persisted throughout her life.
Vi moved to London as a young woman and became a mental health counsellor. There she reconnected with a childhood friend, Griffin Williams. The two eventually married and moved to Hamilton, Canada, where Griff found work at the steel mills. Griff, as well as Vi’s father and brothers, worked at the Cargo Fleet Steel Company in Middlesboro, and so the move to Hamilton was natural enough.
Meanwhile, Vi’s brother Fred went from Cargo Fleet to Jessops Steel Company in Calcutta, India. He wrote fascinating letters back to the family during the four years he lived there, before he was tragically killed in an uprising at Jessops in 1949.
Her other sibling, Arthur, became an engineer, building paper mills all over the world. While Arthur, who was dyslexic, did not leave the legacy of letters Fred did, he did leave his considerable fortune to Vi when he died in the 1990s. Vi used Arthur’s money to support art and culture in the Hamilton area. She was a generous donor to the Hamilton Poetry Centre, the Bach Elgar Choir, the Bruce Trail Association, the John Laing Singers, IAMAT-FSIMT, and many others.
But perhaps the most touching monument she left was to publish Fred’s letters. They were published by West Meadow Press in 1996 under the title of Remember Me to Everybody: Letters from India, 1944 to 1949 by Frederick Gower Turnbull.
Vi died on February 3, 2012 and her ashes were scattered along the Bruce Trail in Ontario, Canada.
With thanks to Marc Castle
Bob’s Story
The IAMAT-Robert & Haru Fisher Travel Medicine Scholarship is named in memory of Robert Haru Fisher, a dedicated board member, and his partner Harukuni Nishizawa.
Bob was an avid traveller who believed in the importance of experiencing and sharing cultures. Born on March 3, 1930, Bob was raised in Iowa and Missouri, and lived in London, Tokyo, and New York.
Bob graduated from Harvard University and travelled to Japan for his post-graduate studies at the University of Tokyo. During this time, he was a representative of the US National Student Association for East and Southeast Asia, promoting student exchanges to foster international ties and kinship. While in Japan, he also worked for the CIA’s International Organization Division (IOD) which took him to many countries in the region. Bob was a strong believer that peace can be achieved through cultural understanding and international cooperation.
Bob spent many years as President and Editor-in-Chief of the Fodor travel guides. He also served as President of the New York Travel Writers Association and as President of the Society of American Travel Writers and its Foundation. He published several books on art and travel, including the Fisher Annotated Travel Guides. Bob served as Vice President on our Board of Directors for many years. On several occasions during his travels (visiting 106 countries in total), he had to use the service of IAMAT-affiliated doctors. Bob was a passionate advocate of our work, understanding the importance of having comprehensive travel health resources and access to a network of reputable doctors around the world ready to assist travellers.