Peter Deutchman,
I'm afraid the theme of your article has been hijacked.
To return to your point; I have long believed that successive Governments have been a party to brain drain from developing countries in preference to putting resources into our own tertiary institutions by providing scholarships for committed medical students to undertake the years of study needed to become trained professionals who otherwise could not afford the financial cost.

There is nothing wrong with Doctors having to do time in rural hospitals. It should be a perequisite as other service professionals such as Police Officers & Teachers have to do their share.

Unfortunately the worst aspects of American Medical practice have infected our health care industry. Health clinics and Private Hospitals have become investment areas for foreign investors that reap the cream of hospital services by inducing Specialists to admit their privately insured patients whilst the Public system picks up the uninsured.

The insurance industry should be excluded from forcing exorbitant premiums on Doctors to insure against litigation by Hospitals indemnifying their Doctors and Governments legislating against 'frivolous' claims. Common law claims should only be permitted in cases of Gross negligence & malpractice where a strong prima-facie case exists.

Examinator,

I did get your point. All I was saying that Australians are spoilt. They can get to see a Dr with no charge to themselves as long as they bulk bill. Who would go to one of these jr franchisees?

Maracas

The point of the training period for young doctors is to give them a broad range of skills in dealing with a large variety of situations with experts to back them up.

This is only available in major hospitals, not rural clinics. Once they have finished here they are fully trained and about 27 years old. At this stage of their life, it is not possible to force them to do anything successfully any more than forcing plumbers or accountants to work in the country.

To get doctors in country, you need to make it worth their while or they will go and soon leave. A doctor in a rural clinic needs to be available 24/7. An uncommitted person will switch his phone off.

S.M.

Working in rural clinics must become an integral part of the training process. Practicioners will be faced with plenty of challenges in the country they won't encounter in the City from being gored by a bull to snake bite and tractor roll-overs.

Doctor's ambitions to own a Mercedes before they're 30 needs to take second place to their Hippocratic oath. Service to the population in rural Australia, the food bowl of the nation becomes an obligation if the expenditure for the training has been borne by taxpayers dollars as it should be.

Besides with modern day technology, internes can have access to instant advice with video links to major teaching hospitals and the added benefit of aerial evaccuation if all else fails.

When experienced doctors are enticed from poorer countries, the quality of health care in those countries is devalued as younger replacements gain their expertise.

Privatisation of Health care in Australia has inflated professional incomes in comparison to the incomes of plumbers and electricians whose services to our community are no less important to peoples health & wellbeing.

Maracas,

I worked for several years in a small town where the local doctor was a close personal friend, in 3 years he never saw a single snake bite, bull goring or tractor roll over, and all the more complicated patients had to be transferred to a larger center such as Canberra where he was not able to be involved in any level with their treatment.

He eventually moved to Sydney for 3 reasons, firstly he wanted to expand his training, the first of his kids needed to go to high school and the local public school was not suitable, and his highly qualified wife wanted to start working again part time in a field that was not available in the country.

Having spent 9 years training (more than a lawyer or accountant) doctors are probably 26/27 and ready to settle down with partners, they are just starting out their carreers and contrary to your glib comment are a long way from being able to buy their first mercedes (more likely to try and pay off their hex debt and then try for their first mortgage).

The concept that their life can be dictated to by a patronising beaurocrasy is insulting. If the gov paid off their hex debt and gave them some reason to stay, things might be different.

S.M.
My school mate's father was the Doctor in the small country town , the centre of a thriving dairying industry where I was born . The district's population was around 3000.
There were three children in that family who all went on to become medical practitioners who had to go to boarding school when they reached Secondary levels because there was only Primary levels to Grade 7 at that time.
The family moved on when the boys reached Tertiary level. Another G.P. replaced the doctor. That was the experience of all the citizens in the town, having to send their kids to boarding school.

I paid a nostalgia visit 3 years ago to learn there was NO resident doctor and the hospital where I was born has become an aged persons facility. My cousin and her husband who are both in poor health have to travel 35 miles for emergencies and get to see a visiting doctor by appointment for ongoing care.

The imposition of Hex debts on University students has been a negative influence on the development of Australia as a 'smart' Nation and I do not support continuation of the scheme. I am in favour of Fee Free education. If you return to my last posting second paragraph (if the expenditure for the training has been borne by taxpayers dollars as it should be.) You will understand that I expect an obligation from Internes to serve some time in rural districts.

The shortage of G.Ps. in Australia has contributed to appalling health statistics in remote Australia, particularly in Aboriginal Communities that even 'stealing of doctors from Poor countries' cannot correct.

If Kevin Rudd rises to the occasion and implements his proposals for improvements to the education and health systems, we might yet be able to say we do not steal doctors from poor countries but train our own.