Monash MBBS students

[Russ]

In terms of the Bonded though, seriously, it's not a big deal, 5 years of service in an area of work force shortage in return for being a doctor, you'd have to be crazy not to take it! And either way, it'll probably do you more good than anything to work in the country for 5 years, on top of that, some areas of work force shortage aren't that "country" at all!

It is a big deal. If you seriously think it's not, then why on earth does the program exist and cost the government millions?

[paulsterio]

It is a big deal. If you seriously think it's not, then why on earth does the program exist and cost the government millions?

Incentive! Without it, people would not go and work in rural areas, thus, the government has created it to essentially ensure that there will be a certain number of graduates who will work in rural areas in the upcoming years.

But Russ, would you rather take a Bonded place or not become a doctor? If you make that comparison, you can't deny that working for the government for 5 years isn't that bad. Seriously, they even pay you! It's not as if it's 5 years of hard labour and you'll be free afterwards anyway.

[totaled]

It is a big deal. If you seriously think it's not, then why on earth does the program exist and cost the government millions?

Incentive! Without it, people would not go and work in rural areas, thus, the government has created it to essentially ensure that there will be a certain number of graduates who will work in rural areas in the upcoming years.

But Russ, would you rather take a Bonded place or not become a doctor? If you make that comparison, you can't deny that working for the government for 5 years isn't that bad. Seriously, they even pay you! It's not as if it's 5 years of hard labour and you'll be free afterwards anyway.

also, you have the option of paying out, lets say after 2 years, if you really do hate it that much. like paul said, if what you want to do in the future is medicine, then anywhere between 2-5 years rural work shouldnt deter you from such a dream/goal

[Russ]

Incentive! Without it, people would not go and work in rural areas, thus, the government has created it to essentially ensure that there will be a certain number of graduates who will work in rural areas in the upcoming years.

...

Yes, they NEED a gigantic carrot to make people go work in those areas, so the bond is a seriously big deal.

But Russ, would you rather take a Bonded place or not become a doctor? If you make that comparison, you can't deny that working for the government for 5 years isn't that bad. Seriously, they even pay you! It's not as if it's 5 years of hard labour and you'll be free afterwards anyway.

I didn't apply for BMP, because I have a realistic idea of what it entails and I decided that I'd rather work for a year and consider trying again.

[paulsterio]

What does it actually entail Russ? How bad could it be? :S

Btw, one of my friends is a 5th year Monash Meddie who's in Bonded so in a few years he should be able to tell me what BMS is like

[Russ]

Go do some research. There are plenty of people who have worked rurally and theyll give you a pretty good idea of what its like.

[TonyEcon]

I think it be hard to argue that a bonded place wouldn't be an amazing opportunity for students who want to do medicine. Not only is it intrinsically rewarding but rural doctors get paid more, and most of these 'rural' areas are within 1-2 hours driving distance from the metropolitan.

[Russ]

Do you have any idea what it entails or are you just looking at the "omg care for underprivileged patients" and basing it on your ideals?

Again, there's a reason doctors don't work rurally and why country GPs can get 500K a year

[thushan]

Russ, one of my friends and I were talking about her bonded contract and from what she's telling me it seems highly restrictive! You're right in this respect...bonded would suck.

Apparently must fulfil contract (of 5 years in area of workforce shortage) within 16 years, so theres no scope for taking an extra year to do anything extra...5 (med school) + 3 (intern/resident) + 3 registrar (for physicians, is that right?) + 5 years of working for gvt = 16 years. Oh damn. Least she gets 12 months leave for each child she has (says in contract).

So it'd be very difficult to pursue further study or do something else - so your career path is kinda set for you :/

Is that right?

[TonyEcon]

Do you have any idea what it entails or are you just looking at the "omg care for underprivileged patients" and basing it on your ideals?

Again, there's a reason doctors don't work rurally and why country GPs can get 500K a year

My cousin has a bonded place and he researched it thoroughly. To me it seems like you don't understand what it entails. The reason they are paid 500k p/a is because there is a limited supply relative to demand. The reason there is a limited supply is because less than 1 per cent of students who study medicine come from a rural background. As such, doctors tend to work in the metropolitan because that's where their families are situated, hence higher wages are designed to attract these individuals - ie justifying why they should leave family behind.

Start giving some solid reasons why a bonded place isn't great, as opposed to continuously saying 'have you researched it properly', because it just makes you come across as bitter.

[Hellrocks]

Do you have any idea what it entails or are you just looking at the "omg care for underprivileged patients" and basing it on your ideals?

Again, there's a reason doctors don't work rurally and why country GPs can get 500K a year

So you imply they don't deserve care?

[Planck's constant]

I think it be hard to argue that a bonded place wouldn't be an amazing opportunity for students who want to do medicine. Not only is it intrinsically rewarding but rural doctors get paid more, and most of these 'rural' areas are within 1-2 hours driving distance from the metropolitan.

That sounds about right.
Particularly if we are talking some remote coastal town

[Russ]

So it'd be very difficult to pursue further study or do something else - so your career path is kinda set for you :/

Is that right?

In general yes, but then again most graduates will probably attempt to gain their fellowship before they think about taking a break or pursuing a PhD or something else. The BMP isn't too bad (imo) when it comes to restrictiveness (as opposed to the MRBS) since it does allow you to get out of it and it's not super onerous with conditions.

My cousin has a bonded place and he researched it thoroughly. To me it seems like you don't understand what it entails. The reason they are paid 500k p/a is because there is a limited supply relative to demand. The reason there is a limited supply is because less than 1 per cent of students who study medicine come from a rural background. As such, doctors tend to work in the metropolitan because that's where their families are situated, hence higher wages are designed to attract these individuals - ie justifying why they should leave family behind.

I'm sure he's shared everything with you, including his personal motivations, but irrespective of that, the family thing is only a small part of it. Working rurally comes at a cost to your career as well as being a much more intensive and demanding experience, since there's such a shortage of doctors. If you honestly think that working in an underserviced area is going to be no different than working at RMH/Box Hill/StVs etc...

Start giving some solid reasons why a bonded place isn't great, as opposed to continuously saying 'have you researched it properly', because it just makes you come across as bitter.

I told him to do some research once because there's a lot out there and I can't/won't summarize it all in one post. As for bitterness...i have absolutely nothing to be bitter about and I have no idea why you think I am. I just don't like the rather naive attitude of a lot of high school students who'll take any deal just to be a doctor and rationalize away the serious contractual requirements.

So you imply they don't deserve care?

Absolutely not and that's just putting words in my mouth.

[Romperait]

You can't just dismiss the contract of a bonded spot as a trivial matter and it needs to be thought through thoroughly. Having said that, however, if that's what you've been offered and medicine is indeed what you want to do, it really should be seen as an opportunity and not some enormous sentence which unconditionally restricts your career path.

[paulsterio]

I agree with Romperait, for some students, it comes down to either do a Bonded Medical Place or take another pathway such as a Gap Year or Graduate Entry.
Both sides have their positives and negatives, but do remember that if you do get out of graduate, you'd have taken 7 years as opposed to Monash's 5 years. Which means that in reality, the Bonded contract is only 3 years longer.

For some people, the security of the Bonded MBBS will entice them, whilst for others, the Bonded contract is so tough that they'd risk going through the graduate entry.

I think in the end, it's up to the person, everyone has different needs and situations, so I don't think there's a general formula which can be applied to whether Bonded is a good thing or a bad thing or whether we should take it. Some people will see 5 years in rural areas is a small price to pay for a lifetime career in medicine, others will think differently.