LAUSR

The distribution of health professionals between metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas is a key issue for access to health care for rural populations. Increasing reliance on domestically trained doctors rather than international medical graduates, the backbone of medical care provision in rural areas, is expensive and will require effort over decades. Clear short term policy solutions do not exist,1 and long term solutions rely on fundamental changes to the way doctors are recruited, trained and supported,2 which require a high level of coordination between the many stakeholders involved in medical training.