Medi-Nav is an initiative of the Medical Practitioner Workforce Plan for Queensland (MPWP4Q) and is designed to support the next generation of Queensland medical practitioners by facilitating the early exploration of career options and encouraging medical graduates and junior doctors to consider specialties and locations where there is a workforce need.
Objectives
The aim of the website is to improve collection and access to medical workforce data that is specific to Queensland, which is packaged into a tool that facilitates comparison and can ultimately inform the vocational training decisions of medical students and junior doctors seeking a career in Queensland.
Planning
Key stakeholders have been heavily involved in the development and design of this website. All images on the website were taken at public or private facilities in Queensland. The Queensland Department of Health would like to acknowledge the generosity, advice and support of all those involved.
Welcome Message
Associate Professor Catherine McDougall
Chief Medical Officer,
Clinical Excellence Queensland, Queensland Health
A career in the medical profession offers a wonderful opportunity to care for and improve the health of our community. Regardless of the path we choose, we have a responsibility to remain aware of the trust placed in our expertise and deliver care with compassion to positively impact the lives of our patients and their families.
You have embarked on your own unique journey to a career filled with opportunity, diverse experiences, life-long learning, and rich reward.
Opportunities abound in our profession. I encourage you to embrace any and all that arise, particularly those that challenge what may have been your intended career path – a rotation that you previously had not considered, be that in a certain specialty, or in small regional community just might expose you to a career and a lifestyle more fulfilling than you had ever imagined.
Queensland Health is committed to supporting our next generation of medical practitioners. The Medi-Nav website has been developed for medical students and junior doctors to explore their career options early using up-to-date, Queensland-specific specialist and vocational trainee workforce data and career information across the spectrum of specialties.
Navigating the many challenging, exciting and dynamic pathways in medicine can make a career decision seem daunting. I encourage you to not only use the resources available on Medi-Nav, but to dive wholeheartedly into every opportunity that presents, absorb every experience, and use these learnings to decide what a career in medicine means to you.
My very best wishes for your future career.
Data Sources (Specialists)
The data published on the Medi-Nav website is collated from a number of external and internal sources. The following table outlines the data sources and definitions.
| Name of publication | Source of publication | Link to source data | Medi-Nav data points | Data definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Workforce Dataset 2021 and 2022 | Australian Department of Health | Data Source | Number of specialists – QLD | Total number of registered specialists in QLD 2021 |
| Number of specialists – Australia | Total number of registered specialists in Australia 2021 | |||
| % male/female | Proportions of female and male specialists in QLD 2022 | |||
| Average age | Average age of QLD specialists 2022 | |||
| Average weekly hours | Average number of hours worked by QLD specialists in one week 2022 | |||
| % over 60 years of age | Proportion of QLD specialists aged 60 or over 2022 | |||
| % intend to retire in 10 years | Proportion of 2022 QLD specialists who indicated an intention to retire by 2032 | |||
| Location | Proportions of QLD specialists practicing in major cities or regionally 2022 | |||
| % private and public | Proportion of QLD specialists practising in private and public 2022 | |||
| Medical Education and Training (MET) Report 2022 | Australian Department of Health | Data Source | Number of new fellows – QLD | Total number of Fellows admitted in 2022 – QLD |
| Number of new fellows – Australia | Total number of Fellows admitted in 2022 – Australia |
Data Sources (Trainees)
The data published on the Medi-Nav website is collated from a number of external and internal sources. The following table outlines the data sources and definitions.
| Name of publication | Source of publication | Link to source data | Medi-Nav data points | Data definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Education and Training (MET) Report 2022 and Specialist Medical Collegeses | Australian Department of Health, medical specialist colleges | Data Source | Number of trainees – Australia | Number of accredited trainees within specialty/sub-specialty across Australia as at 2022 |
| Number of trainees – QLD | Number of accredited trainees within specialty/sub-specialty in QLD as at 2022 | |||
| Proportion male/female | Proportions of QLD female and male advanced trainees within specialty/sub-specialty in 2022 | |||
| Number of new trainees – QLD | Number of medical practitioners accepted onto an accredited training program in QLD in 2022 | |||
| Trainee Trends | Number of accredited trainees in Queensland 2015-2022 | |||
| QLD Training Program Selections (First Year) | Number of first year eligible applications received and number of first year applicants selected for QLD Training Programs in 2023 |
Data caveats
The data published on the Medi-Nav website is collated from various data sources from 2021 to 2023 and is correct at the time of publication.
The National Health Workforce Dataset (2021 and 2022) is a combination of annual registration data and voluntary workforce survey conducted by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
The response rate for the voluntary workforce survey by the specialist workforce is >90%
Specialist data is sourced from the workforce survey where practitioners self-nominate the specialty in which they primarily practice (as such the data does not reflect practitioners with dual qualification).
Specialist data for General Practice is a combination of practitioners with ACRRM and RACGP Fellowship qualifications.
Trainee data for sub-specialties which was not available in the Medical Education and Training (MET) report has been sourced from the respective medical specialist colleges.
Trainee data predominately represents advanced trainees, however basic trainees are included in the total where data is available (specialties including basic trainees: anaesthetics, pain medicine, dermatology, emergency medicine, paediatric medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology)
Trainee gender proportions represent advanced trainees only.
The source of data for gender proportions reflects a binary gender framework and we acknowledge that these options are not necessarily reflective of the gender diversity of the medical workforce.
Training Program Selections data
The data on this page compares the number of applicants that were selected to commence their first year of training in Queensland in 2023 to the total number of eligible applications*
The data was sourced from the relevant medical specialist college, or from selection committees coordinated by a Queensland Health pathway/network, or an individual facility.
Important Note:
This data reflects a point in time figure for the selection of applicants commencing the first year of an accredited training program in the 2023 clinical year.
* eligible applications are determined by selection committees according to the eligibility criteria and required documentation prescribed by the relevant medical specialist college.
Feedback
The Medi-Nav website has been designed for medical students and junior doctors as a tool to support an informed career decision. We welcome your feedback to assist us our ongoing review and enhancement of the website.
Feedback form
We welcome your feedback to assist us our ongoing review and enhancement of the website.
Last updated: September 2024