Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition went to the last election with a plan to alleviate pressure on the training system for medical students and graduates, and we are delivering on that commitment. To assist with an increase in recent years of the number of graduating medical students, the Australian government has committed $40 million to support up to 100 additional intern places each year in private hospitals, with priority for rural and regional areas, during this period of growth in student numbers. This will provide more certainty for students and alleviate pressure on public hospitals for training. To bolster the medical workforce in rural and regional areas, priority is being given to positions and rotations outside major metropolitan centres.

Applications for final year medical students for Commonwealth medical internships open on 19 September and close on 3 October. A list of eligible applicants will be provided to participating hospitals for recruitment by early November. This is an issue the Commonwealth takes seriously.