Overcoming challenges

‘Orientations to the hospital and to the community are important…definitely a good investment of time and money.’

While recruiting Australian trained doctors is often impossible, recruiting an overseas trained doctor (OTD) presents its own set of challenges.

Three months is the timeframe typically quoted for OTDs to apply for medical registration in Australia. In practice, says Dr Jon Mortimer, once you have identified a suitable candidate, the process usually takes at least 5–6 months—sometimes a year or more—to get them into a job. It is important to be prepared for that.

Part of Jon’s role, as the Director of Medical Services for hospitals along the NSW South Coast from Moruya and Batemans Bay to Bega and Pambula, is to recruit OTDs when Australian trained doctors are not available.

Jon thinks that using a medical recruitment agency is the best way to go, especially for employers unfamiliar with the complexities of the system. While this doesn’t remove an employer’s responsibilities, Jon believes having an experienced guide through the process is of enormous benefit and removes much of the pressure.

He also notes that the employment prospects and levels of engagement with the local community for an OTD’s family are key factors that often determine if a doctor will stay. Recruiting without regard for the needs of the doctor’s family is very risky. For this reason, Jon feels that it is vital to get the community involved early in the process wherever possible.