Record Number of NSW Doctor Interns for Coffs Harbour

19 new junior medical officers were welcomed to Coffs Harbour today.

Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser today welcomed the group as part of a record intake of intern doctors funded by the NSW Government.

Across the State, 999 interns, up from 992 in 2017, will commence their new positions, representing the NSW Government’s commitment to introducing new doctors into the health system, with the state leading the country in terms of funding and conditions.

Mr Fraser said more than $107 million had been invested in the statewide internship program to boost the number of doctors in cities and regional areas.

“Today we welcome 19 new junior medical officers to Coffs Harbour Health Campus, and we are pleased to be playing our part in leading the country when it comes to training junior doctors,” Mr Fraser said.

NSW guarantees intern positions to all domestic medical graduates for NSW universities. NSW also provides internships to many graduates from interstate universities and, where possible, international full-fee paying medical graduates.

“NSW is the only state to offer two-year employment contracts to graduates commencing their internship which includes a rotation through a network of metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals,” Mr Fraser said.

In addition, under the NSW Rural Preferential Recruitment pathway, 132 medical graduates will spend the majority of their first two years working in a rural setting.