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GPs in training pay discrepancies laid bare
New data shows 55% of GPs in training earn less money than in their last year in a pre-vocational hospital position – a trend one GP expert labelled a ‘huge concern’.
Just 23% of the 1274 respondents say they earn more than their last year working in a pre-vocational hospital position.
More than half (55%) of general practice registrars are earning less money in GP training than in their last year working in a pre-vocational hospital position, according to a new survey.
The annual National report on the 2024 National Registrar Survey, released on Wednesday, has laid bare the pay disparities faced by GPs in training.
Positively, the survey revealed that in terms of registrars’ satisfaction with their training provider, including the RACGP, 89% were satisfied with the quality of overall training and education experience, and 88% were satisfied with the quality of training advice and the feedback on their training progress.
It found 86% were satisfied with the workshops and webinars provided, 87% were satisfied with the training and education resources available, 85% were satisfied with the medical educator facilitated peer learning provided, and 85% were satisfied with the support to meet their training provider’s training requirements.
Additionally, when registrars were asked to reflect on their experience with their training facility, 91% were satisfied with the overall training and education experience and 92% were satisfied with the supervisor’s support.
However, answering a new set of questions introduced in 2024, just 23% of the 1274 respondents say they earn more than their last year working in a pre-vocational hospital position.
This also varies substantially between the states and territories.
More than half of registrars in the Northern Territory were earning more than in their last year of pre-vocational hospital training (52%), but it was 12% in Victoria, 22% in New South Wales, 29% in South Australia, and 32% in Queensland.
‘This may be due to registrars in the Northern Territory receiving higher levels of additional support payments or other benefits than registrars from most other states and territories,’ the research said.
‘Overall, 44% of registrars reported receiving additional support payments or benefits in semester one, 2024, but a much higher proportion of registrars training in the Northern Territory (71%) received additional support.’
RACGP GPs in Training Chair Dr Bec Loveridge told newsGP this was further proof of what general practice registrars already know – that those who leave the hospital system to start GP training ‘almost universally take a pay cut’.
She said that, on the ground, this is leaving junior doctors to make tough decisions about their future careers.
‘We hear from medical students and junior doctors who aren’t yet in training all the time that their primary concern is related to finances,’ Dr Loveridge said.
‘They like the idea of general practice, it’s the work that they want to do, but everyone’s got other things to consider when it comes to making a career choice and it isn’t always up to what you want to do.
‘Sometimes you have to make choices that are the right thing for your family or for your personal goals in life, so we know from speaking to those who aren’t yet in training, that it is a huge concern for them, and this data backs up what we already knew.’
The survey also found that 19% worked as a hospital locum, and 53% said their total pre-tax earnings were below $60,000 in semester one of 2024.
Additionally, 43% of respondents said they did not receive any additional payments and 30% received less than $5000 in additional payments.
The RACGP has long been calling for greater pay parity for those future GPs leaving the hospital system.
Ahead of last year’s Federal Budget, one of the college’s main advocacy calls was for registrars to be offered the same leave entitlements as their hospital counterparts.
Dr Loveridge said making up that gap would ‘make a huge difference’.
‘There’s a barrier in the fact that when you leave the hospital, you lose access to paid parental leave and paid study leave, as well as any long service entitlements,’ she said.
‘People want to do general practice when it works for their life, and from speaking on behalf of the GPs in Training faculty, it’s something that we hear every single time we get any inquiry from any member.
‘We’re very united in our desire to have this discrepancy when you leave the hospital addressed, so that it’s fair and not an artificial barrier for building the future GP workforce of Australia.’
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