The doctor of the future will be more representative of the
Australian population and is likely to be more attuned to patient
needs according to a new joint report of the Australian Medical
Workforce Advisory Committee and the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare.
Characteristics of Students Entering Australian Medical
Schools: 1989 to 1996 found that the mix of students entering
Australian medical schools during the last decade has changed
significantly, and that further change is on the way as medical
schools have altered admission criteria to include factors other
than academic achievement.
Professor John Horvath, Chair of the Australian Medical
Workforce Advisory Committee (AMWAC), said, 'Universities have been
changing admission policies with the aim of selecting students who
are not only academically able but who have other skills and
personal qualities relevant to quality of care for patients.
Personal qualities are tested in interview and include ability to
communicate, tolerance, insight into other peoples' points of view,
ability to analyse and solve problems, and commitment to patients
and their interests as a priority'.
He said that three universities have changed from a six-year
undergraduate to a four-year graduate medical degree, resulting in
students who are more mature and from more diverse backgrounds.
The report found all 10 university medical schools are tackling
the shortage of doctors in rural areas and the serious health
problems of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Strategies include scholarships and reserved places for rural and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Consequently, 17% of commencing students in 1997 were from a
rural background, compared with 10.7% in 1989. Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students represented 0.7% of commencing
medical students in 1996 compared with 0.4% in 1989.
The report also found:
- For the last 10 years about 1,300 Australian permanent
residents each year have commenced undergraduate medical degrees,
and there have been just over 1,200 graduations annually.
- Female student commencements increased from 43% in 1989 to 46%
in 1997.
- 57.1% of commencing medical students in 1996 were from high
socioeconomic status postcode areas, 27.8% from middle status, and
10.4% from low socioeconomic status areas (4.7% unknown).
- 61% of commencing Australian permanent resident medical
students in 1996 were born in Australia, 6.3% in the United Kingdom
and Europe, 3.0% in other European countries, 25.7% in Asian
countries, and the remainder elsewhere.
22 July 1998
Further information: Professor John Horvath,
Chairman, AMWAC, ph. 02 9391 9933.
For media copies of the report: Ms Katrina
Mansweto, ph. 02 9391 9933.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.