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University debts could be wiped if doctors and nurses go rural

Oliver Peterson
Article image for University debts could be wiped if doctors and nurses go rural

Univeristy debts for doctors and nurses could be waved under a new government initiative in a bid to get more health care professionals to regional and rural areas.

The scheme, that is set to start in January 2022, could be up to the value of $100,000 – which could wipe university debt.

Immediate Past president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Dr John Hall, says attracting doctors to the regions has been a struggle.

“We’ve had a workforce crisis in rural and remote Australia for many years now to the point where we feel like the term ‘crisis’ has lost it’s impact,” he said. “We felt for many years that the governments haven’t listened, they haven’t done enough, but this is certainly a step in the right direction.”

The incentives will be given under the conditions that the professionals work at least 24 hours a week, for a period equivalent to half the length of their degree.

Dr Hall says going to the regions for just two years could wipe the debt.

“For most medical degrees in Australia today, the HECS debt is around about $100,000. This program is capped at around $140,000 because there’s obviously different costs for different universities and length of degrees,” he told Oliver Peterson.

The scheme is hoping to attract hundreds of doctors and nurses to move to the regions to support existing doctors and nurses.

“We need the relief, we need the workforce support so the more doctors we can get working alongside us, the more likely the doctors that are there are going to stay,” Dr Hall said.

Press PLAY to hear more about the program

Oliver Peterson
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