An urgent challenge: new training opportunities for junior medical officers

There will be a massive increase in the number of medical school graduates over the next 5-10 years--there were 1287 Australian resident graduates in 2004, and there will be more than 3000 by the middle of the next decade. A workshop held during the 11th National Prevocational Medical Education Forum explored ways to provide the additional prevocational training posts that will be required. Four possible sites for additional training posts were discussed: expansion of public hospital training posts; general practice; private hospitals; and other sites, including private rooms and community placements. Current accreditation procedures will need to be amended to accommodate more interns. There will be limited access to prevocational training posts for non-resident (full-fee-paying) graduates and international medical graduates. There is an urgent need for postgraduate medical councils, state health departments, the federal government, and medical boards to work together to identify, develop and accredit new training posts.