Briefing
BMJ 1999; 318 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7179.3 (Published 30 January 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;318:S3-7179
The career focus article on working in Australia has sparked a lively correspondence by email: Mark Parrish writes to point out that all three Australian defence services are short of doctors and recruit from overseas. According to Dr Parrish, this route exempts you from the usual registration and examination process, and automatically entitles you to Australian citizenship within three months. Anyone interested in this option should contact him at markparrish{at}bigpond.com.au
Another correspondent, nameless because “the information [supplied] would be damaging to our current employer's recruitment strategy [and] we are dependent on him for our visa” writes to point out that UK vocational training is not recognised in Australia. This means that Medicare pays at a lower rate; private patients will also be unenthusiastic: they receive less reimbursement from public funds if they see a doctor who is not accredited. As pay is made on the basis of income generated for the practice, locums can find themselves seeing about 50 patients each day in order to earn A$2000 (£775) each week.