“How can you call someone a foreign doctor when they are an Australian doctor with an Australian degree, and they were classed as a local student from day one?”
Good Question, Dr .Belich.
Mike Belich was born in New Zealand, but has lived in Australia since the age of 14. He graduated from the Medical School of the University of NSW in 1999, and is currently working in Byron Bay where he is completing his RACGP training. When he passes his Fellowship exam however, as he is classed as "a former overseas student" (although he was considered a "local student" when he enrolled) he is subject to the same regulations as International Medical Graduates - in other words must work for ten years in a District of Workforces Shortage before he will be eligible for an unrestricted provider number.
There are apparently about a hundred doctors in the same situation as Dr. Belich.
Dr Belich's story was in the The Australian on Wednesday October 29 (first edition), and a link will be made to this just as soon as it is available.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Nicola Roxon said that she (Ms Roxon) he is "aware of the situation and is currently looking into what can be done."
Representatives of The Need More GPs group specifically mentioned Dr Belich's case to Nicola Roxon when they met with her in September (see post below) to discuss GP workforce shortage issues.
1 comment:
It is great that Mr Belich's and other New Zealand nationals' situation has been fixed by the recent changes to the rule. However a lot of other GPs who undertook medical education in Australia as overseas students are still classified as overseas doctors.
I graduated from Flinders Uni in 2002 and did my RACGP fellowship in 2008. Working out in remote Central Australia - I have no problems with working in Districts of Workforce Shortage. What I do have a problem with is that every time you apply for a provider number they take a month to approve it from Canberra. They don't care about the fact that the urgency of the situation or the fact that I don't get paid. In addition to the enormous amount of work I have constantly be aware of the time taken for provider number application and renewal. I wrote to Warren Snowdon and Nicola Roxon and I doubt if they read my letter as they thanked me for being an International Medical Graduate and chosen to come to Australia to work!!! I will probably take the situation to court where Dr Beluchi left off.
Post a Comment