22 May 2013

ANU "bullying" students out of interstate internships

| Barcham
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ANU Medical School graduates are usually guaranteed a first round offer to intern at the Canberra Hospital, however as of this month a new policy will deny them that if they choose to also apply for positions interstate. Outside of the ACT, graduates with multiple offers are given two days to make a decision.

The students are accusing ACT Health of bullying them out of having options.

Australian Medical Students Association spokesman Ben Veness says the move is coercive and anti-competitive.

“If you’d like a guaranteed internship in the ACT, you’re not allowed to apply anywhere else in Australia. If you do, then they bump you down from the first category down to number four,” he said.

“The concern is, if you don’t get a job in the ACT and you don’t get a job anywhere else, then you might be left without a job anywhere.”

Mr Veness says ACT Health’s restrictions were done without consultation, and do not consider legitimate reasons why graduates move interstate.

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Sounds understandable. Take a guaranteed place with ACT health or apply elsewhere. Either that or ACT health guarantees nobody, then they can hedge their bets all they like. Bit rich to expect them to hold a job open for you just in case.

Not sure how the hospital can tell if someone else has applied somewhere, other than asking them. Bit of a worry when honesty doesn’t seem to rank for doctors coming through.

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