AMSA: Training Cuts Threaten Quality, Australia

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 17 Jun 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Expansion of training opportunities in general practice is essential to maintain the quality of medical education, the Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA) warned today.

AMSA President Michael Bonning said that any primary healthcare strategy for the future must guarantee a quality general practice education for medical trainees.

"Medical students and junior doctors have always enjoyed quality teaching in the general practice setting. However, as the number of medical students relying on general practices for clinical experience increases, resources will be stretched.

"The introduction of any new model of healthcare practitioner that competes for these resources and learning opportunities will place further strain on the system, and may result in a compromise of the quality of training available to medical students and junior doctors," Mr Bonning said.

"We welcome any new initiative that improves the quality of healthcare available to the community, but this must not be to the detriment of the education that medical graduates receive.

"Investment in training must be at the centre of any healthcare strategy for the future," he said.

In the recent federal budget, the government promised a portion of the $275 million investment into GP Superclinics to be dedicated to education and training.

This positive step was offset by the announcement of a reduction in prevocational general practice placement program places, which give junior doctors experience in general practice. Furthermore, funding within GP Superclinics does not provide for the expansion of training infrastructure within existing general practices.

"The Government must provide support to measures that encourage graduates to undertake a career in general practice, and ensure that the training medical students and graduates receive in this setting remains as exceptional as it has been in the past," he said.

Australian Medical Students' Association