We note that all Australian universities have also been invited to respond individually to this assessment and believe they are best placed to respond in relation to their particular situations. UA does however make the following few overall points in response to the assessment.

UA recognises that there is a current maldistribution of medical workforce to rural areas of Australia. UA supports adequate access to health professionals across the range of Australian locations and health care settings and recognises the role that universities play in developing Australia’s medical and other health professional workforce.

Universities are already undertaking a range of different activities/approaches to support a fairer distribution of the medical workforce. Such activities include: increasing the number of rural origin students enrolled in medical degrees; providing access to rural training and clinical places through a range of approaches – rural clinical schools (RCSs), University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs), regional location of universities and; ensuring that medical curricula
are rurally-relevant. A number of these activities are supported through by the Department of Health (DOH).