Expansion of medical training to ease shortages

Dr Cullen said lifting the number of medical undergraduates was a positive step in meeting the challenges of a tight international medical labour market.

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Forty more doctors are to be trained every year from next year, Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen and Health Minister Pete Hodgson announced today.

"Given the long time periods it takes to fully train medical practitioners, increasing the number of New Zealand students studying medicine will help us strengthen our future workforce," Dr Cullen said.

The 40 new places will bring to 365 the number of first year medical students studying at Otago and Auckland universities from next year, Mr Hodgson said.

Both universities have indicated they can handle 20 extra places each. This will cost $920,000 in 2007/08 rising to $6.3 million annually in 2011/12.

Increasing the number of New Zealand medical graduates was a key recommendation of the Health Workforce Taskforce, a standing committee formed last year to provide advice on the health and disability sectors.

Dr Cullen said lifting the number of medical undergraduates was a positive step in meeting the challenges of a tight international medical labour market, in which many countries faced retention issues.

Until recently 285 places were available each year, but in 2004 the Labour-led government increased that by 40 and in 2008 this will increase by another 40, taking the total to 365.

Mr Hodgson said the move demonstrated the Labour-led government's commitment to the health of New Zealanders, and the forward planning that was needed in the health sector.

He said the increase complemented the government's June announcement lifting the number of fully funded places for General Practice training from 69 a year to 104 a year from next February.