Queensland Health welcomed 776 new junior doctors in a special meeting with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and other local officials at the Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside.
Of these new doctors, 163 medical interns will be taking up residence in Brisbane northside facilities, including Prince Charles Hospital. The rest will be assigned to 44 public hospitals for a full year.
“Best of luck to all of Queensland’s new medical graduates as they embark on this next stage in their medical career!” Member for Aspley Bart Mellish posted on Facebook.
“It’s great to see these new recruits at Prince Charles Hospital out there on the frontline, delivering the services northside residents need,” Mr Mellish said in a separate statement. “I’m proud to be a member of a government that’s investing in a record $21.8 billion health budget that’s delivering exceptional services for Queenslanders.”
These new interns will be joining training programs covering various clinical procedures and practices. The doctors will be under three rotations between Emergency Medicine, General Medicine and General Survey, as well as two elective specialised areas to safely and effectively transition into their chosen path.
“These medical interns and graduate nurses have worked extremely hard to get to this stage of their career and I congratulate them on their achievement,” Ms D’Ath said.
“I’m especially grateful they are joining Queensland’s health system during a global pandemic, where they will no doubt face extra challenges they may not have anticipated when they commenced their study.
“Queensland’s doctors and nurses have kept us safe during COVID and these new health workers will help that work continue.”
It comes as the State Government aims to have 9,475 medical and health practitioners providing services in Queensland in the next four years.