Paying for an Internship

[Austingal]

Hi all!

Just wanted to get some opinions about the thought of paying for an internship in light of the fact that full-fee paying MBBS graduates will not only be not 'guaranteed' a job but most likely unlikely to find one to apply for by 2012. It appears that the government has loosely promised that all there will be the exact number of internships to match commonweath supported placed and with hospitals struggling to even meet the training demands of those numbers it is unlikely there will be any excess.

A little while ago there was some talk (in QLD) of a non-paid internship to try and provide an opportunity for a full-fee payer that would otherwise miss out. This talk was quickly squashed but it has made me think about whether there are alternatives out there to provide that essential intern experience required to gain registration and a future in medicine??

One thing I wonder is whether there is any scope for 'paying for an internship'? Giving an opportunity to someone that would otherwise no even be able to be considered (not to take away a job from someone else).

Opinions? Thoughts? Alternatives?

[chinaski]

Unless said money would lead to an increase in senior clinicians to supervise interns (and registrars), as well as open up a need for extra interns on service (and more trainees, for that matter), adding dollars into the equation won't do much at all.

Add to that the ethical dilemma of even suggesting this be added to our system, and you've got a lose-lose situation.

Alternatives? Close some medical schools down completely. Failing that, freeze enrollment numbers NOW - across the board - and move towards reducing current numbers if need be.

[+po1ntdext3r+]

I would rather get beaten with a bamboo pole if that was the case.

[chinaski]

Quote: Originally Posted by +po1ntdext3r+

I would rather get beaten with a bamboo pole if that was the case.

Rather than paying for the pleasure of working a job which is somewhat the same as being beaten with a bamboo pole anyway, you mean...?

[+po1ntdext3r+]

Depends on who was giving the beating..

but paying for it would be abusing overseas students in Aust unis..freeze AMC numbers and school numbers till we have the infrastructure..

and yes I would not pay for my internship.

[Jackie]

Yeah, we really need to freeze numbers.
Tsunaaaaaaammmmmmmiiiiiiiiii
I hope it doesn't come to paying for an internship.

[chinaski]

Paying for an internship will hardly make any difference, anyway. You pay for a year of work in a hospital - then what? You're not able to practice after that as anything.

[NoobyMcNooberton]

More government funding for more medical specialist places fixes the problem, doesn't it?

[g.walker]

Ah, what would happen if you dont end up getting an internship place? are you basically prevented from progressing through your career until you do...?

Also, from what I know Australia already has a skill-shortage across the medical field; it would seem that closing down med schools would solve one problem only to exacerbate a bigger one

[Jackie]

Quote: Originally Posted by NoobyMcNooberton

More government funding for more medical specialist places fixes the problem, doesn't it?

Need people to train interns and specialists
Need more funding on an overworked health system