Tonight's Federal budget announced a co-payment for Australians visiting their GP, getting a blood test or an X-ray. 

The proposed cost would be a $7 "patient contribution fee", $5 of which goes towards research. 

We want to know your opinion on these proposals - please comment below.

About the project

The Workforce Planning & Development Branch of the NSW Ministry of Health has engaged Urbis (an independent social research company) to investigate options for providing career information and support to medical students and junior doctors to assist them in making career choices. 

The work is in response to the Health Professionals Workforce Plan 2012-2022, which aims to provide career support to health professionals to ensure career plans are aligned with service needs (Strategy 8.1).

As part of the consultation, they are seeking 8 medical students in their final year of study to attend a focus group.

The findings from the research will be used to shape the development and delivery of new career planning resources that will:

• Support medical students and junior doctors in making informed decisions about their career
  
• Build the profile of medical specialties and other medical careers identified as priorities for future service provision 
  
• Promote career opportunities in regional and rural NSW.

The workshop aims to gather your views on:

• Current sources of career information and advice, including any gaps in the provision of information and issues related to the quality of information
  
• Preferences and requirements for the provision of career information andsupport, including formats, timing, channels, and the role of digital technology
  
• Generalist careers
  
• Specialisation, and particular specialties
• Working in rural and regional areas.

Participation in the workshop is voluntary and anonymous. Your responses will not be identifiable. Urbis is bound by both the Data Protection Act and Market and Social Research Code of Conduct to ensure that you information and data remains confidential.


The focus group will be held on Wednesday 14 May 2014, from 4pm to 6pm at AMA(NSW) House in St Leonards. Light refreshments will be provided.

There are only 8 spots available for NSW MSC members (final year medical students only) and RSVPs are essential.

Please  get in touch with Neel Gobin ([email protected]) if you are interested to attend. Please include your name, university, mobile number and email address. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis!