03/07/2025
2 July 2025
Rural students kept priced out of medicine
New Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme excludes medical students
The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) scheme has been launched and medical students have been excluded.
President of the Rural Doctors Association, Dr RT Lewandowski, said that affording to be able to study medicine was a huge barrier for rural students.
“Rural origin students are more likely to become rural doctors, but many simply can’t afford to pay their way through medical school,” Dr Lewandowski said.
“Sustaining six or seven years of university study with demanding academic requirements as well as completing more than 2000 prac placement hours makes it nearly impossible for someone to study medicine without significant financial support, usually from their family.
“Rural students, who already have no choice but to live away from home while at university, must also relocate to complete placements for extended periods throughout their study. Along with their study hours this makes employment difficult, accommodation and rentals difficult, and adds a huge burden to their cost of living.
“The CPP is a means-tested payment that should be financially supporting all students through their required placements, but while it is available for those studying teaching, nursing, midwifery, social work… if you are studying medicine, you are inexplicably not eligible.”
Research shows that rural origin students are more likely to work rurally as a doctor, and also that a quality experience in rural for medical students and junior doctors increases their likelihood of selecting rural medicine as a career.
“There is a massive maldistribution of doctors in our country, leaving us chronically short in rural and remote areas,” Dr Lewandowski said.
“It is vitally important for the rural health workforce that students from rural and remote areas are attracted into medicine and that all students are financially supported to complete rural placements, particularly where students are required to temporarily relocate their residence to undertake that mandatory placement.
“Many city-based students who would like to try rural understandably will not consider a rural placement when there are additional costs involved to maintain their residence in both in their primary metro location and also in a rural location.
“AMSA President, Melody Ahfock is right when she says that prac placement expenses particularly impact students from rural, regional and remote areas, that these are exactly the students we need more of, and that they are being priced out of their education.”
RDAA supports AMSA, Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Students Against Placement Poverty in their call for the Federal Government to:
Redirect funds to fund a broader CPP scheme that includes all students undergoing mandatory placement as part of their education.
Revise the Commonwealth Prac Payment ahead of the scheduled 2027 review to include additional training pathways including medical students.
Media contacts:
Ineke Kuiper on 0408669638
Patrick Daley on 0408 004 890
