Dr Sebastian Leathersich was the recipient of the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship in 2024. A subspecialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (CREI), Dr Leathersich undertook a two-year clinical research fellowship in Spain at Dexeus Mujer and the University of Barcelona with the support of the scholarship.
The College interviewed Dr Leathersich to learn more about his experience and how it has influenced his clinical practice upon his return to Western Australia.
What inspired you to apply for the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship?
As he reached the end of his FRANZCOG training and was partway through his CREI subspecialty training, Dr Leathersich was eager to gain an international perspective on clinical practice that he was unable to access within Western Australia. “I also wanted the opportunity to engage in more clinical research that I felt wasn’t really available in Australia.”
Through researching international opportunities, he identified the two-year combined clinical research fellowship at internationally acclaimed institution Dexeus Mujer, in Barcelona. As is the case with many international fellowships, Dr Leathersich would be required to obtain external funding. This is where the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship enabled him to take 18 months away from clinical work in Australia to pursue research in Spain, which is forming the basis for his PhD.
What did you enjoy the most about the experience of working in Barcelona?
In addition to the joys of living in a beautiful Mediterranean city and polishing his Spanish language skills, Dr Leathersich valued working in a unit that produces extensive clinical research.
It gave me the opportunity to learn and understand how to run clinical trials, how to design and implement clinical research. That’s something that I’ll certainly be bringing back into my practice here.
During his two-year fellowship, Dr Leathersich worked under the supervision of internationally recognised reproductive medicine leader Professor Nikolaos Polyzos. He reflects that he developed and cemented “global relationships with collaborators that I hope to continue to work with throughout the rest of my career.”
Having an international network of academic and clinical colleagues is invaluable. “I can pick up the phone any hour of the day to talk through similar problems that we might encounter here within our clinical work or in implementing clinical research programmes.”
What are some of the skills that you developed overseas that you’ve brought back to your clinical practice in Western Australia?
Dr Leathersich emphasises that one of the most beneficial skills he acquired through his international experience was learning different ways of approaching clinical problems.
Working within a health system that has very different regulation and very different structure, in Spain, allowed me to understand different ways of managing common problems within infertility and reproductive endocrinology that we don’t have here in Australia.
What are your key tips or recommendations for anyone considering applying for the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship?
Anyone who is reaching the completion of their training in Western Australia should consider if the scholarship could benefit them, Dr Leathersich says.
“Consider what your priorities are, what you’d like to achieve with your fellowship…and consider how your fellowship is going to contribute back to the WA community when you return.” He encourages applicants to think “outside the box [about] how you can gain something that you wouldn’t get within WA or within Australia.”
How to apply
The Jean Murray Jones Scholarship opens on Thursday 30 April 2026 to any Western Australian-based RANZCOG Fellows or FRANCOG Trainees who have completed all requirements of core training. If you are interested in applying for the 2026 scholarship, now is the time to explore opportunities you would like to pursue outside of WA.
Additional eligibility criteria and application information is available on the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship page. Applications close on Tuesday 30 June 2026.
For further queries, please contact foundation@ranzcog.edu.au.
