26 Jun 2012

NZ health planners welcome Australian junior doctor surplus

9:45 am on 26 June 2012

An over-supply of medical graduates in Australia is being welcomed by medical workforce planners in New Zealand.

Almost 500 new medical graduates in Australia are expected to be jobless next year because of a mismatch between the number graduating and the number of positions available for them in hospitals.

Doctors in Australia, or New Zealand must complete a year as a first year house officer, or intern, after they graduate and before they gain full registration as doctors.

Otago University Medical School Dean Peter Crampton says that while Australia will eventually sort out the problem, the over-supply in the mean time will end the exodus of New Zealand junior doctors to fill vacancies across the Tasman.

Health Workforce New Zealand says this country could find hospital training places for about 60 of the Australian graduates.

But the junior doctors' union says hospital positions are tight and New Zealand-trained doctors must be first in line.