Concerns over New Zealand’s future GP workforce are growing after a recent Medical Students’ Association survey suggested only 14 percent of medical students currently plan to enter general practice.
But University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences Dean Professor Warwick Bagg says early survey results may not accurately reflect where graduates ultimately end up working.
Professor Bagg says medical students’ career intentions often shift significantly throughout training as they gain broader clinical experience and exposure to different specialties, including rural medicine and community-based healthcare.
He says many students initially enter medical school with limited understanding of general practice and only later discover the scope, flexibility and impact of primary care work.
Exposure to rural placements and underserved communities can also strongly influence students’ eventual career choices.
Despite this, Professor Bagg says New Zealand still faces serious challenges in meeting future primary healthcare demand, particularly as the population ages and more senior GPs approach retirement.
Health workforce experts have repeatedly warned that shortages in general practice are already placing significant pressure on the health system, especially in rural regions and communities with high Māori populations.
Professor Bagg says even if the eventual proportion entering general practice is considerably higher than 14 percent, workforce pressures remain substantial and long-term planning is urgently needed.
Rural communities continue to face some of the greatest difficulties attracting and retaining doctors, contributing to ongoing inequities in healthcare access and outcomes.
Professor Bagg says stronger incentives and targeted support are likely needed to encourage more graduates into general practice and rural healthcare pathways.
Possible strategies include greater exposure to rural medicine during training, financial incentives, improved mentoring, better support for rural placements and stronger investment in Māori and community-based health workforce development.
The issue is particularly significant for Māori communities where healthcare access gaps remain pronounced and demand for culturally grounded healthcare services continues to grow.
Professor Bagg says long-term workforce planning must focus not only on increasing doctor numbers, but also on ensuring graduates are supported into areas of greatest need.
The debate comes amid wider concerns over healthcare staffing shortages, workforce burnout and growing competition from overseas health systems offering higher salaries and better working conditions.
Health leaders say strengthening New Zealand’s GP workforce will remain critical to the future sustainability of the country’s healthcare system.
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