❓ Hon. Amber-Jade Sanderson questions the government about internship availability and funding for medical graduates from WA universities, including international students. The government responds with details on current placements, future funding, and costs.
AnsweredQoN 697Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MEDICAL
STUDENT GRADUATES — INTERNSHIPS
697. Hon AMBER-JADE SANDERSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the provision of internships for medical student
graduates from Western Australian universities.
(1) Will the
government commit to providing the four students currently without a job an
opportunity to actually become doctors in Western Australia?
(2) Will the
government fund internship places for the 20 extra students who are expected to
graduate next year and every year after that?
(3) Will the
government commit to providing extra places to allow all medical graduates to
undertake an internship?
(4) What is the cost of each
internship?
STUDENT GRADUATES — INTERNSHIPS
697. Hon AMBER-JADE SANDERSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the provision of internships for medical student
graduates from Western Australian universities.
(1) Will the
government commit to providing the four students currently without a job an
opportunity to actually become doctors in Western Australia?
(2) Will the
government fund internship places for the 20 extra students who are expected to
graduate next year and every year after that?
(3) Will the
government commit to providing extra places to allow all medical graduates to
undertake an internship?
(4) What is the cost of each
internship?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Health, I provide the following information, which has been
provided by the Minister for Health —
(1) The
Western Australian government has a commitment to provide internships for
WA-trained medical graduates who are Australian citizens or permanent
residents. All 2013 WA graduates in this category have been placed. WA has been
notified of a further vacancy this morning, and one of the four remaining
graduates will be offered a position next week, at the end of the audit phase,
resulting in 23 of the 26 full fee–paying WA graduates in 2013 being
offered internships in WA. Western Australia is working with all other states
and territories to coordinate intern allocation to ensure duplicate acceptances
are not held. The fourth audit is currently underway. It is likely that this
will identify further vacancies, which may result in the movement of graduates
out of WA who currently hold offers, resulting in further vacancies that could
place the remaining three full fee–paying graduates. Rounds of offers
for internships will not close until internship commencement in January 2014, and
it is likely that further WA vacancies will arise. Historically, WA has been
able to place all international full fee–paying graduates in an
internship.
(2) Yes,
funding for these extra 20 internships was secured as part of the junior
doctors' business case of June 2011. The government of Western
Australia has allocated funds for medical graduate internships in line with the
agreement made at the Council of Australian Governments meeting of 14 July
2006. States and territories agreed to guarantee to provide high-quality
clinical placements and intern training for commonwealth-funded medical and
nursing students. All 20 extra graduates who are Australian citizens are
included. Full fee–paying international medical graduates are not
included in the funding for the junior doctors' business case; however,
as in previous years, and although not guaranteed, WA has been able to offer
internships to these graduates. The number of international full fee–paying
graduates expected to graduate remains similar to the number for 2013, which
was 25.
(3) A long-term
policy change on internships for international full fee–paying medical
students would represent a significant commitment by the government of Western
Australia. Postgraduate medical education entails extensive long-term
investment by state and federal governments, and this is one of many factors
considered in determining the number of commonwealth-supported places at
Australian medical schools. Provision of internships to international full fee–paying
graduates is the subject of national discussion. The commonwealth government
has committed to funding places for 400 graduates over the next four years; an
opportunity to apply for these positions has been made to the remaining WA
graduates, who would be offered internships within the private sector in WA if
successful. Western Australia has adjusted its priority listings for 2013 to
allow WA full fee–paying graduates higher priority than domestic
interstate medical graduates who did not complete year 12 in WA.
(4) The cost
estimate per additional intern placed within the WA public health system is
$462 000 a year for 2014–15 exclusive of any cost offsets. This
estimate includes a direct cost component of salaries and on-costs for both the
intern, $92 000, and the required clinical supervision, 100 000; costs incurred
by the medical education units, $25 000; and a rural on-cost component of $60 000.
To fulfil each intern's continuing training requirements, additional
supervision and support costs must be considered, totalling $185 000.
Minister for Health, I provide the following information, which has been
provided by the Minister for Health —
(1) The
Western Australian government has a commitment to provide internships for
WA-trained medical graduates who are Australian citizens or permanent
residents. All 2013 WA graduates in this category have been placed. WA has been
notified of a further vacancy this morning, and one of the four remaining
graduates will be offered a position next week, at the end of the audit phase,
resulting in 23 of the 26 full fee–paying WA graduates in 2013 being
offered internships in WA. Western Australia is working with all other states
and territories to coordinate intern allocation to ensure duplicate acceptances
are not held. The fourth audit is currently underway. It is likely that this
will identify further vacancies, which may result in the movement of graduates
out of WA who currently hold offers, resulting in further vacancies that could
place the remaining three full fee–paying graduates. Rounds of offers
for internships will not close until internship commencement in January 2014, and
it is likely that further WA vacancies will arise. Historically, WA has been
able to place all international full fee–paying graduates in an
internship.
(2) Yes,
funding for these extra 20 internships was secured as part of the junior
doctors' business case of June 2011. The government of Western
Australia has allocated funds for medical graduate internships in line with the
agreement made at the Council of Australian Governments meeting of 14 July
2006. States and territories agreed to guarantee to provide high-quality
clinical placements and intern training for commonwealth-funded medical and
nursing students. All 20 extra graduates who are Australian citizens are
included. Full fee–paying international medical graduates are not
included in the funding for the junior doctors' business case; however,
as in previous years, and although not guaranteed, WA has been able to offer
internships to these graduates. The number of international full fee–paying
graduates expected to graduate remains similar to the number for 2013, which
was 25.
(3) A long-term
policy change on internships for international full fee–paying medical
students would represent a significant commitment by the government of Western
Australia. Postgraduate medical education entails extensive long-term
investment by state and federal governments, and this is one of many factors
considered in determining the number of commonwealth-supported places at
Australian medical schools. Provision of internships to international full fee–paying
graduates is the subject of national discussion. The commonwealth government
has committed to funding places for 400 graduates over the next four years; an
opportunity to apply for these positions has been made to the remaining WA
graduates, who would be offered internships within the private sector in WA if
successful. Western Australia has adjusted its priority listings for 2013 to
allow WA full fee–paying graduates higher priority than domestic
interstate medical graduates who did not complete year 12 in WA.
(4) The cost
estimate per additional intern placed within the WA public health system is
$462 000 a year for 2014–15 exclusive of any cost offsets. This
estimate includes a direct cost component of salaries and on-costs for both the
intern, $92 000, and the required clinical supervision, 100 000; costs incurred
by the medical education units, $25 000; and a rural on-cost component of $60 000.
To fulfil each intern's continuing training requirements, additional
supervision and support costs must be considered, totalling $185 000.
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