Hundreds more doctors: Landmark rural health deal reached

A landmark health agreement will deliver hundreds more student doctors every year to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs in a bid to curb a skillsforce shortage.

Darling Downs Health chairman Mike Horan talks to media at the launch of the Darling Downs – South West Medical Pathway, a collaboration between The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, South West Hospital and Health Service and Darling Downs Health. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Hundreds more student doctors will study and live in Toowoomba and southwest Queensland every year as part of a landmark agreement between the region’s health services and major universities.

Darling Downs Health, South West Hospital and Health Service, the University of Southern Queensland and the University of Queensland have signed a four-way memorandum of understanding that will deliver a full medical degree on the Darling Downs.

As part of the plan, which has taken five years to develop, medical students selected for the program will complete their entire studies in Toowoomba and will do all their placements at hospitals across the southwest.

DDH chair Mike Horan said the move would expose city students to country life and help meet a medical skill shortage felt by many communities.

“It’s the first time we’re going to have a full-time medical course in Toowoomba and southwest Queensland,” he said.

“Our real hope is, because the course will be based here, the graduates will find partners in this area and will get immersed in the rural life of our towns and cities.

“The University of Queensland is reviewing its medical course and bringing about some great improvements, so 2024 will be the first year for this new course.”

SWHHS chair Karen Tully said communities out west faced real challenges retaining quality doctors and medical staff, something she hoped the agreement would reverse.

“While there are really great jobs going in great locations, it’s the perfect storm of a shortage of medical personnel and then not everyone totally understanding the magic of living in a rural and remote health centre,” she said.

“If we can dip their toes in the water without the commitment of having to accept a job, they may discover joys and breadth of experience you can get in a rural centre.”

Signing a memorandum of understanding for rural health are (from left) Darling Downs Health's Annette Scott, South West Hospital and Health Service chair Karen Tully, University of Queensland vice-chancellor Deborah Tully and University of Southern Queensland vice-chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie.

UQ vice-chancellor Deborah Terry called the pathway a watershed moment for rural medical education.

“We know it’s a real challenge to make sure we have the medical workforce in rural Queensland and we’re committed to playing a role to change that,” she said.

“This will improve accessibility for our regional, rural and remote students and allow them to study, train and practice closer to home and in their community.”

USQ vice-chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie said the collaboration would future-proof the region’s health workforce for years to come.

“In the fullness of time, the pathway will include the opportunity for high school students to apply for provisional entry to the UQ MD and complete their undergraduate degree with USQ,” she said.

The full program will partially begin in 2024.