The Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) has released a report titled: Medical Student Interest in General Practice – Reversing the Trend: Government, Universities and General Practice Colleges.

This report is following a Roundtable held by AMSA on the 11th of October which was attended by all major stakeholders in medical education, health workforce, medical advocacy and specialty training, alongside the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care and Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care.

“We were incredibly pleased by the attendance of both sides of Government, as well as all peak national bodies related to medical student and general practice training at the roundtable, which highlighted how pressing this issue truly is,” said Jasmine Davis, President of AMSA.

 Currently, only 15% of graduating medical students are interested in a career in General Practice. Modelling has suggested that by 2032, we will have a shortfall of over 11,000 GPs. We are already experiencing the serious ramifications of GP shortages in rural and remote Australia, and in outer metropolitan areas, with the predicted shortfall posing a possible collapse of our primary care system without investment.

“The aim of this report is to provide clear, actionable recommendations to stakeholders in how they can act now, to reverse the declining trend in medical students and junior doctors pursuing a career in general practice,” said Jasmine.

“We recognise that influencing student interest in general practice is one piece of a big puzzle in reforming general practice, to ensure that our system  is adequately and robustly prepared for the future health needs of all Australians. Medical students are proud to be working with leaders in medical education and system reform, to ensure that we have sufficient and high-quality general practitioners to underpin our primary care system,” said Jasmine.

The report has 15 recommendations, with four underpinning themes of: increasing funding and support for primary care to teach; improving the quality and quantity of GP placements; shifting away from hospital-centric medical education; and improving the perception of GP careers through addressing stigma.

AMSA is the peak representative body for Australia’s 17,000 medical students. The full report can be accessed at: tinyurl.com/amsaroundtablereport.