A South Australian medical training provider says it has received a large increase in doctors applying for placements in regional South Australia.
Sturt Fleurieu GP Education and Training finds training placements for registrars in southern parts of the state, including the south-east, Riverland and Mallee.
Director of medical education Peter Clements says it has attracted the highest number of registrars in the Riverland in more than a decade, with seven new registrars expected to start their training next year.
“Increasing the numbers going into rural South Australia in particular is extremely important,” he said.
“As all those GPs already out working in rural areas know, the sustainability of these practices is very dependent on new doctors coming through into those areas.”
He says it is pleasing to see retention in rural areas.
“On one hand there’s an increased increase in rural medicine as I’ve suggested, on the other hand there’s also increasing competition for places, so people making general practice a career are having to consider where they can best use their skills,” he said.