The RACGP says poor working conditions for IMGs are a “hidden scourge” but has backed its supervision rules for GPs trained in countries like New Zealand

Last week AusDoc reported on two doctors, Dr Vasuki Annamalai and Dr Corinne Glenn, who said the rules for IMGs had made Australia an ugly option for overseas doctors.

Dr Annamalai was forced to redo her GP training from scratch despite passing her New Zealand fellowship exams, and entered the Australian GP Training Program rather than the Fellowship Support Program so nobody else would “hold power” over her visa or medical registration.

RACGP rural chair Associate Professor Michael Clements said her story highlighted the “fear culture” among IMGs.