5 May 2022
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has supported the Group of Eight universities’ call for 1000 additional domestic places for student doctors to prevent a workforce crisis.
RACP President Professor John Wilson says, “We support the appeal to the incoming government for a significant increase in the number of medical student places, but that is only half the picture.
In the case of our specialists, there’s little point in numerous student doctors graduating from medical schools if there are too few places in the healthcare system for them to finish their training. Standards of training are already compromised because of hospital service needs.”
After medical school, specialist physicians spend at least six years training on the job in hospitals and other healthcare settings before fully qualifying, and many of these training positions are already oversubscribed.
“Any increase in medical student places is welcomed but this must be matched by investment in the planning and delivery of post-graduate specialist training.
"This needs to occur in partnership between specialist medical Colleges, jurisdictions and the Federal Government in line with the Australian National Medical Workforce Strategy.
“More medical student graduates will only meet our health care needs if we can ensure these graduates have the training and career opportunities they need to address current and future unmet healthcare needs.
“We know from the pandemic that a well-staffed workforce is critical to providing quality medical care to patients.
“Overseas trained doctors already do much for our healthcare system, but Australia’s overreliance means they are being diverted from their own countries’ workforces.
The shortage of doctors has been felt the most in our regional and remote communities.
“Any move that increases the capacity of our healthcare system in regional and remote areas is a welcome one, provided there are adequate training facilities.
“Unfortunately, there remains a significant shortage of non-GP specialists in many regional and remote areas.
“Expanding the availability of regional and remote training opportunities for medical students and non-GP specialist training and continuing to build the specialist workforce in these settings is an important step towards addressing the regional and remote healthcare shortages and promoting equity in medical care.
“The number of places universities can open for each degree is assigned by the Federal Government.
“Whomever forms the next Federal Government must support Australia’s healthcare system by not just bolstering the number of places for medical students in our universities, but also investing in post-graduate specialist training to avoid yet another crisis within the health sector.”