Andrew Dickens: We're training doctors for no reason

It’s no secret to anyone that we do not have enough doctors in New Zealand. Recent policy moves to attract more qualified overseas doctors have been eagerly received. As have directives to increase the number of doctors we train locally - the Government's decision to fund another 50 medical school places from next year, increasing the cap to 639 first-year students. But what is the point of training more doctors if we don’t have jobs for them? Medical Council data showed 30 percent of medical graduates left the country within 10 years. They leave because Health NZ do not fund enough jobs. The jobs they do fund are low paid and future prospects are limited, except for a talented few. They get paid better overseas and they can pay off their student loan faster. And it starts from day one. Each year Health NZ fails to fund internships for 25 to 30 graduates, forcing them to look overseas.  Sure, some were overseas students but after spending 7 years here they’d quite like to stay if prospects are good. Now all tertiary education is partially subsidised by you and I, but what’s the point of spending taxpayer money training doctors if to save taxpayer money, we don’t offer them a career path after their studies? How about this for a radical idea: the Government wants to fund training for 639 doctors next year, why not also fund 639 internships?  And if any of them don’t want to stay we use any excess funding to pay the guys who want to stay in New Zealand more.  Because to fund training of doctors and then refuse to fund their jobs is wasteful spending.  And we all know how this Government feels about wasteful spending.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.