Young doctors shun GP training places leaving 252 vacancies

As GP clinics abandon bulk billing — or close — young doctors are turning their back on general practice, with new figures showing hundreds of training places not filled.

YOUNG doctors continue to shun general practice as a specialty, with new figures showing a growing gap between training places available and young doctors successfully applying.

Just 1248 of 1500 GP registrar places were filled this year as applications plummet, continuing a six-year trend of unfilled spots at a time Baby Boomer GPs are retiring.

The 252 shortfall is significantly larger than the 82 unfilled places last year and comes amid political leaders warning a “crisis” in GP care is putting pressure on hospital EDs and ramping.

Last year South Australia failed to fill its intake for GP registrars, with just 70 applications for the 110 places across the state and a similar shortfall expected this year.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice president Dr Bruce Willett said the latest round mirrors the challenges Australia is finding in getting enough GPs.

“This isn’t just a problem for general practice, there are severe shortages of primary care workers across the board, including pharmacists and nurses,” he said.

“The core of the problem is general practice care has been stripped of funding by successive governments over decades and Medicare rebates are far too low. Less than 14 per cent of medical students have said general practice is their preferred specialisation.

“You can’t increase the number of GPs without increasing the appeal of general practice as a career. There needs to be a substantial increase in the Medicare rebate now, both to increase the number of GPs Australia trains and to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for patients.”

The RACGP is working with government to the cut red tape for overseas doctors to work in rural communities and is calling for support for junior doctors to intern in general practice to get a taste of what it is like.

The long freeze on Medicare rebates cutting incomes, plus rising inflation and job stress is seeing young doctors shun general practice, instead preferring higher paying other specialties or staying in hospital employment where incomes are rising faster than Medicare rebates.

Lack of interest in general practice comes as growing numbers of practices abandon bulk billing, stop seeing new patients, or close.

Dr Sian Goodson, chair of RACGP SA & NT, in Elizabeth. Picture: Matt Loxton

RACGP SA & NT chair, Elizabeth GP Dr Sian Goodson, this month told a SA parliamentary committee a recent survey of medical students found just 15 per cent indicated they wanted to become a GP, but around 40 per cent is needed for a sustainable workforce.

A survey by Cleanbill.com.au of 291 GP practices in Adelaide found only 81 were bulk billing at the end of 2022 — however even more clinics started charging a gap as of 2023.