JCU welcomes LNP promise for additional Medicine places

Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton and the Shadow Minister for Health Anne Ruston made the announcement in Cairns this morning and JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs has welcomed the LNP's commitment.

"There is a significant, unmet need for medical professionals in northern Queensland," Prof Biggs said.

"Providing an additional 25 Commonwealth-funded places for Medicine will support the University to address this skills shortage in Cairns, which increases equity and reduces disadvantage."

"Put simply, expanding JCU's medical program will result in a significant increase in the number of GPs entering the workforce every year, with the skills and experience to work in Cairns and other underserved communities."

Prof Biggs pointed to JCU's outstanding track record as Australia's most successful university in producing doctors who go on to provide GP services in regional, rural and remote communities.

"For 25 years, we've been delivering a highly successful Medicine program that's provided a pipeline of doctors for Cairns and countless other regional centres,"

he said.

"Importantly many of our Medicine graduates chose to be GPs in rural settings so more Commonwealth-funded places will further bolster the medical workforce in Cairns and help continue our outstanding record delivering for regional Queensland.

"JCU has a proud track record of providing medical graduates with the skills to work in underserved communities. Our medicine graduates are three times more likely to practice in regional areas and twice as likely to practice in remote areas."

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