More than 271 newly qualified medical interns will begin their careers in regional Victorian hospitals this year, as the Victorian Government continues its push to strengthen healthcare access outside Melbourne.
Premier and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan, alongside Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards, visited Bendigo Hospital to welcome the interns and acknowledge the role they will play in local communities across the state.
The interns will be placed across 12 regional public health services, including Bendigo Health, Barwon Health, Grampians Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Albury Wodonga Health and services in Gippsland, Mildura, Echuca, Wangaratta, Portland and south-west Victoria. Together, the placements are intended to support hospitals that rely heavily on junior doctors to maintain patient care and keep services running smoothly.
The intake forms part of a $203 million health workforce investment by the Victorian Government this year. Within that funding is $47 million targeted at mental health workers, including continued support for the psychiatry registrar program and Junior Medical Officer psychiatry rotations.
Medical interns rotate through a range of specialties over 47 weeks, working in areas such as medicine, surgery, emergency care and mental health under the supervision of senior doctors. Their work is often central to day-to-day hospital operations, particularly in regional settings where staffing pressures can be acute.
The new interns will join a public health workforce that now numbers more than 123,000 across Victoria. The government says the workforce has grown by more than 50 per cent in recent years, adding over 40,000 nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health professionals and hospital staff. The number of doctors working in Victoria’s public hospital system has increased by 83 per cent.
Premier Jacinta Allan said health costs remain a major concern for families and that workforce growth is central to addressing that pressure.
“We know one of the biggest cost-of-living worries for families is something going badly with their health. That’s why we’re investing in public hospitals, nurses and doctors – to help you when you need it,” she said.
She linked the expansion of the medical workforce to broader reforms aimed at improving access to care in regional areas.
“More doctors in regional Victoria = more care,” Allan said.
“We’re changing the way Victorians can access an ADHD diagnosis and treatment, because income or location shouldn’t stop you from getting the care you need.”
The comments follow a recent government announcement allowing GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD in both children and adults, a move aimed at reducing wait times and improving access in regional Victoria. Victorians will also be able to obtain a cheaper top-up prescription for ADHD through the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department when a prescription is lost or expires unexpectedly.
Maree Edwards said starting out in Bendigo offered interns a strong connection to both patients and community.
“Starting your medical career at Bendigo Health means joining a health service that’s connected to our community here and committed to world-class healthcare,” she said.
As the interns begin their rotations across regional hospitals, the focus remains on building a workforce that can meet local demand and support care closer to home.
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