An urgent challenge: new training opportunities for junior medical officers

There will be a massive increase in the number of medical school graduates over the next 5–10 years — there were 1287 Australian resident graduates in 2004, and there will be more than 3000 by the middle of the next decade.<br> <br>A workshop held during the 11th National Prevocational Medical Education Forum explored ways to provide the additional prevocational training posts that will be required.<br><br>Four possible sites for additional training posts were discussed:<br>         • expansion of public hospital training posts;<br>         • general practice;<br>         • private hospitals; and<br>         • other sites, including private rooms and community placements.<br><br>Current accreditation procedures will need to be amended to accommodate more interns.<br><br>There will be limited access to prevocational training posts for non-resident (full-fee-paying) graduates and international medical graduates.<br><br>There is an urgent need for postgraduate medical councils, state health departments, the federal government, and medical boards to work together to identify, develop and accredit new training posts.<br><br>