Call for more medical students to fight exodus

Otago Medical School dean Professor John Campbell wants more medical education funding and a higher student intake to counter a growing medical brain drain.

The Medical Association and medical student leaders last week voiced concern after the Medical Council issued figures showing that nearly 30 per cent of recent medical graduates had gone overseas within three years of graduation.

About 10 per cent of recent graduates had left a year after graduation.

The Medical Association said the exodus was worsening.

Professor Campbell said there was no need to panic, but agreed that more action was needed.

It was important for New Zealand to try to keep medical graduates for four years after graduation, because if they did then go overseas, they were more likely to return, he said.

The Government had already increased the medical training intake by 20 each at the Otago school and Auckland Medical School.

However, there was a strong case to further increase the intake, considering workforce pressures, including an international shortage of medical staff.

At $10,000 a year, Otago medical tuition fees and resulting loan scheme debts were too high and were undermining the students' sense of commitment to work in New Zealand, he said.

Medical Students Association president Jess Allen, of Wellington, who was visiting the university last week, also said reforms were needed to counter high tuition fees and student debts running at up to $100,000.

A spokesman at the office of Health Minister Annette King said the graduate figures were being taken seriously.

The Government had already launched a medical bonding scholarship and a bridging programme to help overseas trained doctors to practise here.

More action would be taken if a health workforce study recommended it, he said.

- NZPA