The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the issue of placement poverty during its opening statement at the Senate Inquiry into the Universities Accord (Student Support and Other Measures) Bill.

Representing 18,500 medical students across 23 medical schools, AMSA highlighted the significant financial hardships faced by medical students due to the full-time nature of unpaid clinical placements, which make it difficult for students to support themselves while studying. AMSA President Allen Xiao emphasised the need for immediate government action to include medical students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme.

“While we commend the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle placement poverty with the Commonwealth Prac Payment, it’s disheartening that medical students have been left behind,” Mr. Xiao said. “Medical students complete over 2000 hours of unpaid placement during their degree, often in rural areas where transportation and accommodation costs are prohibitive.”

AMSA has actively campaigned for the inclusion of medical students in this payment scheme, gathering over 12,000 signatures in a petition supporting this cause. The organisation argued that these financial pressures disproportionately impact students from disadvantaged, rural, and marginalised backgrounds—precisely the students most likely to return to their communities and become the doctors Australia needs.

“We need to invest in making medical education more accessible to create a diverse range of doctors who can serve our diverse population,” Mr. Xiao stated. “Currently, the financial burden of unpaid placements is pricing out many talented students who would otherwise contribute to Australia's healthcare system.”

AMSA shared testimonies from students who are experiencing the devastating effects of placement poverty. University of Adelaide student Raener, for example, described the strain of relocating three hours away for unpaid placements while working full-time during holidays just to cover living costs.

“These stories are far from unique,” Mr. Xiao said. “We’ve heard from parents juggling career responsibilities while on placement, and rural students forced to pay double rent between their place of training and their permanent residence.”

AMSA’s advocacy on this issue has garnered the support of major organisations in the medical sector, including the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). AMSA reiterated its call for the Federal Government to commit to addressing placement poverty among medical students and ensuring a well-supported, diverse future healthcare workforce.