Medical students need more exposure to General Practice

Medical students need more exposure to General Practice

The recent difficulty a Tokoroa medical practitioner has had in finding a successor has sparked debate about how to address the shortage of General Practicioners in New Zealand. This is not a new issue and is symptomatic of insufficient exposure to General Practice during medical school according to the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association (NZMSA).

“Medical students spend the majority of their clinical placements in hospitals despite New Zealand requiring half of all students to choose a career in general practice if we hope to meet workforce demands” says NZMSA President Mike Fleete.

“Given how little emphasis general practice, especially rural general practice, is given in medical school, it is not surprising that these areas struggle to attract doctors.”

“The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association recognises that all communities should have access to good quality healthcare and calls on the government and universities to improve medical students’ exposure to general practice.”

“It is also important to recognise simply graduating more medical students won’t solve this problem. Solutions need to address the multiple factors influencing medical practitioners career choices and changes need to occur to the GP training scheme to make it more accessible and flexible.”

ENDS

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