Record number of medical interns begin across state hospitals
Queensland Health has announced the largest recruitment of medical trainees in its history, with 931 graduate doctors starting rotations in the state’s hospitals this year.
Speaking at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital on Sunday, Health Minister Tim Nicholls said this milestone was a critical step towards strengthening the healthcare workforce.
“This is the largest new trainee recruitment in the history of Queensland Health,” he said.
“Not only is it the largest in Queensland history, but we also win the State of Origin award because it is larger than the intake in New South Wales and larger than the intake in Victoria.
“This shows that many young doctors are now choosing to practice their practice in Queensland, which bodes well for the future of our healthcare system.”
Nicholls said the new doctors would complete five 10-week rotations in a variety of specialties, including emergency medicine and general surgery, at Queensland Health sites from Brisbane to Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and regional centres.
He said the program will give graduates a positive experience and encourage them to stay in the public health system in the long term.
“Not everyone is going to stay in our hospital system — we understand that — but it’s important for people to have a great experience here so that more people are given the opportunity to come back to the healthcare system after they finish their jobs, complete their internships, and complete professional admissions procedures and make decisions about specialties they want to pursue,” he said.
The announcement comes as Queensland’s health services face increasing pressure.
Nicholls said modeling shows the state will need 46,000 more healthcare workers over the next decade.
“We know we’re going to need more clinicians,” he said. “That’s why we’ve done a gap analysis, and that’s why we’re also going to lay out our workforce strategy, so we can show how we’re going to grow that workforce in the future,” he said.
Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr. Nick Yim said the new doctor rotations will shape modern understandings of medicine and patient care.
“These are the surgeons, doctors, psychiatrists, pathologists, radiologists and general practitioners of tomorrow and it is crucial that we look after them as they begin their medical journey,” he said.
Also on Nicholls’ mind is Queenslanders’ hesitancy to get vaccinated ahead of this year’s flu season.
“This is not a Queensland problem, it’s a nationwide problem,” he said.
“We’re seeing across the country that people are reluctant to get vaccinated for a variety of reasons, not just for the flu but for other preventable diseases as well.
“I always say — and you know, I always say — get vaccinated.”
Nicholls said he was the first state health minister in Australia to authorize FluMist, a vaccine delivered via nasal spray.
“I tried,” he said. “It’s completely and utterly painless, so we ordered 500,000 doses of this for flu season.”
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