Low pay, long hours not what doctor ordered
After a six-year slog, often longer, at university, graduate doctors are hitting hospitals to try to make a difference to people’s lives.
But the NZ Resident Doctors’ Association is concerned the low pay for long hours is scaring new doctors out of the country at a time of staffing shortages.
To become a doctor, students must complete the health sciences first-year programme at the University of Otago, or the first year of either the bachelor of health sciences or bachelor of science in biomedical science at Auckland University, then complete a six-year bachelor degree followed by two years as a house officer at a hospital. A house officer is the title for a doctor who has not begun specialty training in the first two years after medical school.
To get a medicine degree students spend on average $77,000 in fees, more than double the average student fees. So is it worth it?
The current district health boards multiemployer collective agreement states the pay of a house officer, which differs depending on hours worked and location.
The pay range starts at $65,949 for firstyear doctors and $70,896 in the second year, working a standard 40 to 44.9-hour-a-week roster at the former Auckland, Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Hutt Valley, Capital and Coast, Canterbury and Southern district health board hospitals.
Working in regional areas can mean doctors earn slightly more. Doctors’ salaries will increase in January to $66,949 for first years, $71,896 for second years, $75,571 for third years and $79,242 for fourth years.
But a doctors’ association spokesperson said most house officers never worked fewer than 50 hours a week and almost all worked at least 55 to 59.9 hours.
A house officer working a 55 to 59.9-houra-week roster at Auckland, Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Hutt Valley, Capital and Coast, Canterbury and Southern hospitals earns $92,593 in year one and $99,742 in year two, while in other regions it was $96,058 in year one and $103,493 in year two. The spokesperson said the doctors’ pay was not up to standard. ‘‘The NZRDA is concerned that pay rates in New Zealand continue to lag against those being paid in Australia and the impact this will have on retaining this crucial workforce,’’ she said.
In one extreme example, an Australian outback town was this week reported to be so desperate for a general practice doctor, it was offering a salary of more than A$500,000, free accommodation and a car.
In Tasmania, a GP was offered a A$400,000 salary, house and car.
One doctor, who did not want to be identified, said 60% of the class she graduated with had moved overseas. She said she could earn 11⁄ times as much in Australia as
2 she earned here and would have fewer patients to look after. She and her husband, who is also a doctor, did a stint across the Tasman after they graduated.
‘‘If we didn’t love New Zealand so much and want to see family as much, we probably would have stayed in Perth.’’
According to the Ministry of Education the health industry was the second-highest paying industry for graduates last year, with an average starting salary of $64,000, although the ministry cautioned data covering a wide range of jobs could mask big differences. Medicine, veterinary, dentistry and pharmacy graduates earned more than 30% more than nursing and public health graduates, and rehabilitation-related jobs.