Premier Mike Baird and Health Minister Jillian Skinner has welcomed nearly 1000 medical graduates who will undertake their year-long internship in the state’s public hospitals this year.
The Premier and Mrs Skinner were at Nepean Hospital to greet dozens of medical graduates on their first day of orientation.
They were accompanied by Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres, Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies, Member for Blue Mountains Roza Sage and Liberal candidate for Londonderry Bernard Bratusa.
In 2015 there are 980 intern positions across NSW – up 21 from 959 in 2014.
This represents a funding commitment by the NSW Government of over $107 million.
“It’s a privilege to be at Nepean Hospital today to meet some of the record intake of medical graduates as they begin their journey as doctors,” Mr Baird said.
“The NSW Government is proud to fund more medical intern positions than any other state or territory in Australia.
“Through hard work and dedication, these young graduates will become the doctors who make our hospitals great.”
Mrs Skinner said the first day of an internship is an unforgettable milestone in the life of every young doctor.
“I congratulate each of you for having come this far in your journey and I share your excitement as you get down to work,” Mrs Skinner said.
NSW guarantees intern positions to all domestic medical graduates of NSW universities. As well, NSW provides internships to many graduates from interstate universities and, where possible, international full-fee paying medical graduates.
“The first two years of postgraduate training of doctors is vital for developing a highly skilled workforce for NSW,” Mrs Skinner said.
During their one-year internship, the graduates will complete compulsory terms in the specialties of medicine, surgery and emergency.
The interns will rotate through metropolitan, regional or rural hospitals, as well as GP practices and, for one network, a private hospital – the Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAN) at Wahroonga.
“The rotation through a hospital network exposes interns to a range of medical scenarios at the outset of their training,” Mrs Skinner said.
NSW’s unique Rural Preferential Recruitment Scheme will enable 96 medical graduates to spend the majority of their first two years as doctors working in a rural setting.
“NSW is committed to increasing the Aboriginal medical workforce,” Mrs Skinner said.
“I am pleased to welcome 19 Aboriginal medical graduates who have been recruited through the Building Capacity of the Aboriginal medical workforce intern recruitment pathway.”
