Govt to ‘wipe medical school debt’ for GPs who go rural
It says GPs working in the most remote areas will have their debts extinguished in half the time it takes to complete their medical education
Doctors willing to work as GPs in rural locations could have their existing medical school debts wiped out under a new Federal Government package.
It says that, starting from January, doctors from PGY3 and upwards will be able to apply for HECS or HELP write-offs using a scaled system based on how rural they go.
Unlike the Bonded Medical Program, where the cost of medical degrees is also covered, there will be no long-term commitments, with doctors given far greater freedom to leave rural areas without the risk of being banned from Medicare.
Once in the new scheme, doctors must live and work in an MM3-7 location, excluding major cities and anywhere within 20km drive of a town with a population greater than 50,000.
