New Medical Places Should Be HECS-Funded, Not Full-Fee Paying

Dr Haikerwal said Government funding of the places would better reflect the Government's commitment to easing medical workforce shortages, and would give the brightest students, not just the wealthiest students, the opportunity to pursue a medical career.

"Because of the huge personal or family financial burden on the students who get these places, there is no guarantee they would end up working in rural or remote areas, or in general practice for that matter," Dr Haikerwal said.

"They would choose the career path that allowed them to recoup the course costs in the shortest possible time, and that would be in a high-paying specialty, usually in metropolitan practice.

"We are looking at something like $214,000 for a four-and-a-half year course and there aren't too many kids in the country out there with that sort of money.

"The Health Minister estimated earlier this month that the Government's measure would create 285 new places, which is a more accurate figure then the 400 places claimed in the media today. It is time to stop unfairly talking up the value of this initiative and see it for the dud that it is.

"These places should be open to the brightest and the best and the students most likely to fill the medical workforce gaps in all specialties and geographic areas, not simply those who can afford the high fees," Dr Haikerwal said.

Prior to these announcements, Australia was part way through a 70 per cent increase in medical student numbers. In 2000, medical school intake was 1300 students per year, but this will exceed 2200 by 2008. The additional places will mean that, by 2008, the medical school intake will increase to around 2485 - an increase of 90 per cent over the year 2000.

On a State by State basis, compared to 2000, by 2012 graduate numbers will increase by - NSW/ACT - 130 per cent, Vic - 27 per cent Qld - 202 per cent, WA - 90 per cent, SA - 28 per cent, and Tasmania - 63 per cent.

The Productivity Commission Health Workforce report highlighted that existing resources in public hospitals will not be able to meet the challenge of training all these new medical students and graduates.

Dr Haikerwal said the focus should now be on making sure we can train these doctors properly.

"These students may be hit with a double whammy - huge fees and nowhere to finish their training."