What’s happening?
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is throwing its support behind Independent MP Dr Monique Ryan’s proposed amendment to HELP legislation. The amendment would give medical students access to prac payments, aligning their support with what is already available to other professional disciplines.
Why it matters
The amendment is being positioned as a practical solution to strengthen the long-term rural medical workforce. By removing financial barriers, the proposal aims to make rural and remote placements more accessible for medical students.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said the evidence is clear: “Students who train in regional settings are more likely to stay. We should support that.”
Medical students are currently required to complete 2,000 hours of unpaid clinical placements, which often take place in rural or remote communities. The lack of financial support means many students are discouraged from accepting placements where they are most needed.
Local Impact
For rural towns already struggling to attract and retain doctors, this exclusion in funding can have real consequences. Removing disincentives could lead to more students choosing rural placements and, eventually, choosing to stay and practise in these same communities long term.
By the numbers:
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2,000 hours of unpaid clinical placements are mandatory for medical students.
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Over 290,000 Australians have signed a petition supporting Dr Ryan’s proposal.
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Zero funding currently supports these medical student placements under federal prac payment policy.
Zoom In
The AMA believes that meaningful rural placement experiences when financially supported, can encourage medical students to pursue lifelong careers in rural and regional medicine. Without that support, the opportunity to build that future is often lost.
Zoom Out
The proposed reform forms part of a larger push to tackle long-standing health service inequities between metropolitan and remote Australia. Better rural placement support is seen as a step toward addressing the nationwide challenge of unequal health access.
What to look for next?
If the amendment is passed and adopted across the university sector, it may mark a significant shift in health workforce policy and potentially improve the pipeline of future rural doctors.
