AMSA Supports Call To Drop 10-Year Moratorium On Provider Numbers

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 21 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The Australian Medical Students' Association commends the announcement made by The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) to withdraw support from the 10-year moratorium imposed on overseas doctors by the government in an attempt to improve patient access to doctors in rural areas.

President Tiffany Fulde commented, "The 10 year moratorium has failed to establish a stable health workforce in areas of need. We now have to look for a new solution to get doctors into rural areas."

Overseas doctors have been the heartbeat for rural and remote health practices in recent years, with 50% of rural doctors being trained overseas.

Yet, a proportion of these doctors are recruited from poor, developing nations and the recruitment of these professionals often deprives their country of origin, which has invested in their education and training.

"The government must focus on recruiting and retaining Australian-trained doctors in these areas of shortage. Providing quality education for students and incentives to go to rural communities are much more effective solutions that could be implemented or extended to improve the situation, particularly at a student level," said Tiffany Fulde.

AMSA hopes that The RDAAs move will highlight the need for new and improved incentives to attract suitably trained and supported doctors for the long-term to these areas of desperate need.

Source
AMSA