WESTERN Australia relies too heavily on overseas trained doctors, according to Curtin University's Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Jill Downie.
Professor Downie made the comments in support of the new president of the Royal Australian College of GPs Professor Claire Jackson, who claimed the country was facing the worst GP shortage since World War II.
Professor Downie said rural and regional areas were the hardest hit when it came to the current national doctor shortage of 6,300 doctors. Those areas were more likely to rely heavily on overseas trained doctors to provide services.
"Western Australia is particularly affected by this trend with 52 per cent of all regional doctors being (overseas trained doctors) – the majority who are GPs," Professor Downie said.
"It is very clear that Australia needs a substantial increase in the number of doctors to meet future demand."
She said Curtin's medical school would not accept students for another four years. They would start looking for internships in 2019.
"Curtin has put forward a proposal for a new Medical School that places an emphasis on seeking new alternative clinical placements for our graduates in under-utilised areas such as aged care, non-tertiary hospitals, GP Super Clinics, Indigenous and regional medical services," she said.
"Coupled with our plan to offer a medical degree that integrates interprofessional education into the foundations of the course, Curtin will be seeking to change the way medicine is practised by encouraging strong collaboration between doctors and other health professionals."
