Coalition matches govt’s $100m pledge to fund 200 regional medical students

Regional and rural Australia’s doctor shortage is being targeted as an election issue by the Coalition, which is promising to fund an extra 200 medical students to train as general practitioners to work in the bush.

Nationally, Australia faces a shortage of 2466 GPs, according to a Department of Health report released last year, and the situation worsens the further you go from a capital city.

To alleviate the issue, the Coalition has vowed to spend $100m adding 200 Commonwealth-funded university places for students undertaking medical degrees in regional areas.

This adds to their earlier commitment to add 150 federal government-funded places for medical students, bringing the total to 350.

The funding would also be used to upgrade regional and remote teaching facilities, laboratories and student accommodation.

Coalition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the plan was to broaden regional and remote Australians’ access to quality health care.

“This important investment responds to growing calls from stakeholders for a dedicated focus on regional, rural and remote healthcare,” she said.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said a Coalition government would also deliver a Rural, Regional and Remote Health Strategy within its first six months in government if elected next month.

The Coalition’s plan for more regionally trained GPs matches the Albanese Government’s commitment last month, outlined in its 2025-26 budget, for 200 rural GPs to be trained every year by 2028, when it increases to 400 extra places each year, as part of a $265.2m promise.

The budget papers also made a commitment to the regions by ensuring universities that want access to the funding to prove how they are encouraging medical students to pursue a career in general practice in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Regional Universities Network (RUN) chief executive Alec Webb GPs said healthcare workers that train in Australia’s regions often stay there.

“RUN universities see 70 per cent of their regional students remaining in the regions five years after graduating, establishing their careers and contributing to regional workforces," he said.

“Conversely, only 30 per cent of regional students who relocate to the cities for their studies will ever return to work in the regions again. 

“The evidence is clear – if you want to maintain a sustainable regional health workforce, the training must occur in the regions."