Audrey Keillor worries about how she will afford to finish her degree.
The medical radiation sciences student loves her course at Charles Sturt University's Wagga Wagga campus, but it is bleeding her bank account dry.
After one of her unpaid work placements, she had only $10 left to her name and needed help from her parents to afford petrol to return to campus.
For the mandatory placement, she was forced to travel 2500 kilometres and pay out-of-pocket for her accommodation and expenses.
More than once she has wondered if it is worth it to enter the field of medical imaging - responsible for conducting x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds - already burnt out and broke.
"We are the future of the workforce and we're going into the field burnt out," Ms Keillor said.
"We're just so tired and the worst part is we understand the need of placement. It's just that we can't afford to do it."
From her second year, Ms Keillor was required to do two four-week work placements that were not paid.
Now in her third year, she is required to do two six-week blocks and is anticipating two 18-week unpaid placements in her fourth and final year of study.
Originally from Queanbeyan, she decided to attend Charles Sturt University for a regional education experience.
However, there are not enough clinics to take students in Wagga which meant she had to travel to Caboolture, Queensland for one of her placements last year.
She found a place to stay one hour from the practice and spent two days driving to get to the regional town.
"I was on the highway driving an hour every day. I was filling up my tank once a week.
"I had no family or friends, I was just there on my own. I had to get there and back, and it was only for four weeks ... but overall it cost me nearly $5000 to do the four-week block."
Sometimes accommodation is subsidised, but often it is not. Students also have to pay for their regular accommodation while they are on placement, effectively paying double rent.
Students in teaching, social work, midwifery and nursing degrees are eligible for a $338.60 weekly payment under the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme.
But those in allied health, medicine and veterinary sciences don't get a cent while on placement.
Coming back from her first placement, Ms Keillor realised she needed to get a second job just to get through her degree.
On her week back home in Queanbeyan during the university break she had to spend most of the time working to replenish her finances before heading back to uni next semester.
There have been weeks where she's had to decide whether to spend money on groceries or rent.
"I'm not going out. I can't afford a gym membership anymore. I can't afford to buy books.
"All I do is save and [go to] uni. You really have to be disciplined with yourself, but then that affects your mental wellbeing, and you don't really have much of a social life."
Having access to the Commonwealth Prac Payment would give allied health students more time to rest and to be able to focus on their studies, Ms Keillor said.
A petition calling on the federal government to expand the payment to all allied health and medical students has garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
One of its sponsors, ACT senator David Pocock, said Australia needed a means-tested paid prac system to fill skill gaps in allied health.
"Recently, I was talking to a student who's just started physiotherapy, and he said on the very first lecture of the very first day the lecturer said, 'Listen, if you don't have wealthy parents, start saving now for your pracs, because you're going to need that money'," Senator Pocock said.
"We have to do better as a country than that."
Charles Sturt University supports the push to expand the payment and wants it to be extended to veterinary science students as well.
Vice-chancellor Professor Renee Leon said students in regional Australia were disproportionately impacted by unpaid placements because they already faced higher costs for travel and accommodation.
"Regional communities depend on graduates like Audrey. Denying students adequate support risks driving them out of study," Professor Leon said.
"The solution is obvious and straightforward: extend [the Commonwealth prac payment] to allied health, medicine and veterinary courses so those students can finish their courses and regional communities can get the skilled graduates they need."
Ms Keillor is seeking a final-year placement in regional clinics that offer scholarships. Even if she gets a scholarship, she's expecting a big year of work without many days off.
"It's a well-known fact that we're in a field that's got massive shortages. It's just like, if you've got shortages, why won't you help us?"
