DEEP DIVE: How can we end placement poverty? episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 13, 2026 · 12 MIN

DEEP DIVE: How can we end placement poverty?

from Hack · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Juggling study and work can be a struggle at the best of times.But some uni students are also required to complete thousands of unpaid hours for placement, and many say 'placement poverty' is causing severe financial and psychological distress. Now, a group of students and politicians are calling for the government to expand its paid placement scheme. Last year, the government started paying students in nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work degrees a small wage during their mandatory placement. But students in medicine, speech pathology, dentistry, pharmacy, OT and other courses are not included. In this episode, we hear what it's like struggling to get by while on placement and unpack a new proposal to expand the scheme.Guests: Seniru Mudannayake, president, Australian Medical Students' Association Get the whole story from hack:Follow us on Instagram and TikTokSubscribe to the hack podcastListen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

Juggling study and work can be a struggle at the best of times. But some uni students are also required to complete thousands of unpaid hours for placement, and many say 'placement poverty' is causing severe financial and psychological distress.  Now, a group of students and politicians are calling for the government to expand its paid placement scheme.  Last year, the government started paying students in nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work degrees a small wage during their mandatory placement.  But students in medicine, speech pathology, dentistry, pharmacy, OT and other courses are not included.  In this episode, we hear what it's like struggling to get by while on placement and unpack a new proposal to expand the scheme. Guests:  Seniru Mudannayake, president, Australian Medical Students' Association  Get the whole story from hack: Follow us on Instagram and TikTok Subscribe to the hack podcast Listen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

NOW PLAYING

DEEP DIVE: How can we end placement poverty?

0:00 12:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Undo – How history's outliers got stuff done Mark Steadman An investigation into how history’s oddballs, outliers, and overachievers built systems to help them do their best work.Each episode unearths a so-called productivity hack from history to help you separate the brilliant from the bullshit, so you can build a methodology that works for you.Productivity isn’t about getting more done to feed a money-seeking monster with an ever-growing appetite. It’s about clearing the clutter so you can focus on what you do best.Because if Edison can invent the lightbulb without Inbox Zero, you can probably survive without 10x-ing your toothbrush routine. Tim Ferriss "The 4-Hour Body": Meet the Author iTunes Join Tim Ferriss as he discusses his new book, "The 4-Hour Body." The result of an obsessive quest to hack the human body, it contains the collective wisdom of hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of jaw-dropping personal experimentation. The best-selling author of "The 4-Hour Workweek" fixated on one life-changing question: For all things physical, what are the tiniest changes that produce the biggest results? Stop, Hack, and Roll Podcast James and Brandon Stop, Hack, and Roll is a podcast about pushing pen and paper games to their limits. Life Kit: Parenting Raising awesome kids takes help. NPR has science and experts to get you through the toughest parenting moments. Updated every time we have Life Kit episodes on parenting.Want another life hack? Try Life Kit+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks an exclusive sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Hack?

This episode is 12 minutes long.

When was this Hack episode published?

This episode was published on February 13, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Juggling study and work can be a struggle at the best of times.But some uni students are also required to complete thousands of unpaid hours for placement, and many say 'placement poverty' is causing severe financial and psychological...

Can I download this Hack episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!