Rural intern positions where postgraduate year 1 trainees can undertake majority of their internship in a rural location
(d)129
159
261
6
6
79
44
..
684
Postgraduate year 1 trainees undertaking rural internship
(RA2-RA5)(b)
(e)94
159
261
6
6
79
44
..
649
Rotational positions (RA2-RA5)(c)
37
64
na
17
33
na
na
(f)5
156
Rural area classified as RA2 to RA5 under the Australian Standard Geographical Classification - Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) system.
Rural internship is a type of internship when all or majority of it is undertaken in an RA2-RA5 hospital.
Rotational positions are the rural based intern positions that are filled on rotation by doctors from a metropolitan hospital.
These positions are recruited to Rural Hospitals via the Rural Preferential Recruitment (RPR) Pathway. Maitland and Tweed Heads Hospitals have RA1 classification, but are part of RPR.
Number of rural hospital positions filled via RPR pathway. The remaining unfilled RPR positions were filled using trainees in the network from metropolitan hospitals on rotation to rural hospitals.
These positions are located in NSW and funded by NSW but filled by interns from the ACT Prevocational Training Network.
Source: State and territory government health departments
Table 3.3b: Commencing postgraduate year 1 trainees (MMM3-MMM7)(a) by state/territory, 2015
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
AUS
Rural intern positions where postgraduate year 1 trainees can undertake majority of their internship in a rural location
(d)100
86
5
6
6
12
16
..
231
Postgraduate year 1 trainees undertaking rural internship (MMM3-MMM7)(b)
71
86
5
6
6
12
16
..
202
Rotational positions (MMM3-MMM7)(c)
37
60
na
17
30
na
na
(e)5
149
Rural area classified as MMM3 to MMM7 under the Modified Monash Model.
Rural internship is a type of internship when all or majority of it is undertaken in an MMM3-MMM7 hospital.
Rotational positions are the rural based intern positions that are filled on rotation by doctors from a metropolitan hospital.
Two hospitals classified as MMM1 had 23 positions and a MM2 hospital had 5 positions, but they were filled as part of the Rural Preferential recruitment process. These have not been included in total. Vacant positions were filled by interns on rotation.
These positions were located in NSW and funded by NSW but filled by interns from the ACT Prevocational Training Network.
Source: State and territory government health departments
Trends
The number of PGY1 commencements increased by 21.4%, with 582 additional interns commencing their training in 2015 compared with 2011 (Table 3.4).
The increase in number of trainees commencing their first year of prevocational training appear to be considerably greater in some jurisdictions over the period of 2011 to 2015, in particular New South Wales and Victoria with 29.5% and 21.9% increases in numbers respectively.
Table 3.4: Commencing postgraduate year 1 trainees by state/territory, 2011-2015
There were 3,275 doctors in postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) training positions in 2015. Over half of these (53.5%) were females. Data on the doctors commencing PGY2 training are provided in Table 3.5.
Over three-quarters (77.3%) of doctors had commenced their second year of prevocational medical training in the state or territory in which they were trained previously, compared with 11.1% from interstate.
International students who completed their medical degree in Australia occupied 251 or 7.7% of all PGY2 positions and a further 96 or 2.9% of positions were occupied by Australian Medical Council certificate holders.
Comparison cannot be reliably made across the states and territories due to unique inclusions and limitations on the data that can be extracted from the various administrative systems.
Table 3.5: Commencing doctors in postgraduate year 2 training positions: Total, females and proportion of females by doctor category and state/territory, 2015
International students who graduated from an Australian medical school
28
41
43
18
1
0
0
0
131
Australian Medical Council graduate
33
4
4
1
4
10
4
0
60
Other/unspecified
5
0
0
0
7
0
4
4
20
Total
539
421
382
116
185
25
37
48
1,753
Proportion females (%)
Australian trained local (own state)
52.5
55.1
48.5
50.3
58.1
50.0
0
48.5
52.5
Australian trained local (interstate)
45.6
54.2
66.2
54.5
64.3
0
80.6
70.6
58.2
New Zealand medical graduates
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
International students who graduated from an Australian medical school
60.9
54.7
46.2
52.9
33.3
0
0
0
52.2
Australian Medical Council graduates
62.3
80.0
100.0
100.0
36.4
90.9
36.4
0
62.5
Other/unspecified
45.5
0
0
0
58.3
0
200.0
80.0
64.5
Total
52.5
55.1
50.3
51.6
57.6
61.0
75.5
54.5
53.5
NSW offers interns two year contracts. Data includes continuing interns into PGY2 position and additional PGY2 doctors recruited.
This figure only reflects the number of PGY2 positions advised by health services to include in the Victorian hospital medical offer match. Health services recruited at least 28 positions outside of the match.
Data based on the number of job offers made to PGY2 doctors via the SA MET centralised process. Additional employment occurs outside this process.
Source: State and territory government health departments
Trends
During the last five years, the number of PGY2 commencements reported has increased by 754 or 29.9% (Table 3.6), rising from 2,521 trainees in 2011 to 3,275 in 2015. Comparisons across years and between states and territories should be undertaken with caution due to data quality issues.
From 2011 to 2015 commencements appear to have increased in some states and territories and decreased in others. The biggest increases over the period 2011 to 2015 were in New South Wales (66.5%), and the Australian Capital Territory (51.7%). The biggest decreases over the same period were in Tasmania with a 60.2% reduction and Northern Territory with a 23.4% reduction. However, it should be noted that the ability to extract the data accurately from the various administrative systems may lead to certain limitations of the data.
Table 3.6: Postgraduate year 2 commencements by state/territory, 2011-2015
States and Territories
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Change
2011-2015
(%)
New South Wales
617
803
881
912
1,027
66.5
Victoria
(a)585
(d)644
(f)742
742
(h)764
30.6
Queensland
(b)575
(b)734
683
671
760
32.2
South Australia
(c)189
(e)244
(e)356
(e)238
(e)225
19.0
Western Australia
330
469
(g)308
333
321
-2.7
Tasmania
103
87
104
71
41
-60.2
Northern Territory
64
47
56
55
49
-23.4
Australian Capital Territory
58
73
64
85
88
51.7
Australia
2,521
3,101
3,194
3,107
3,275
29.9
Change from previous year (%)
23.0
3.0
-2.7
5.4
A total of 632 HMO2 positions was included in the Computer Matching Process and only 581 positions were matched. From these 15 matched candidates declined their offer and 19 unmatched candidates accepted a position. Total number of doctors who started their PGY2 training via the Match was 585. A further 47 PGY2 posts were directly recruited by health services.
Commencement data is approximate and is based upon the total number of acceptances registered in the eRecruitment system.
Includes only the number of PGY2 commencing who completed internship in SA.
A total of 667 HMO2 positions were included in the computer matching process and 644 positions were matched. Of the 644 matched positions, 18 candidates declined their Victorian offer. All HMO positions (i.e. 667) were filled either from candidates who participated in the Match (and were unmatched) or via direct recruitment of a health service. This figure is based on incomplete data and only reflects the number of PGY2 positions advised by health services to include in the Victorian HMO match. Health services are able to exempt positions from the matching process, so the number is an underestimate.
Data based on number of job offers made to PGY2 doctors via SA MET centralised process. Additional employment occurs outside of this process.
A total of 708 HMO2 positions were included in the HMO Computer Match and of these, 689 positions were matched.
17 of the 689 matched candidates subsequently declined their offer. A further 36 candidates were offered and accepted a HMO2 position. In addition, 34 positions were directly recruited by health services.
New data checking processing has enabled cleaner data and ensures the capture of PGY2 only.
This figure only reflects the number of PGY2 positions advised by health services to include the Victorian hospital medical offer match. Health services recruited at least 28 positions outside of the match.
Source: State and territory government health departments.
