Many overseas-trained doctors are leaving rural practices as soon as they can, often due to poor housing and educational opportunities, a hearing in Darwin has been told.
A federal government inquiry into overseas-trained doctors has been told that after completing 10 years in remote locations, the doctors were heading to cities.
By law, overseas-trained doctors working in Australia typically cannot access Medicare benefits for their first 10 years of practice unless they work in areas where there is a doctor shortage.
David Thurley from the General Practice Network NT told the inquiry that after serving the required period, most doctors then left to live in big capital cities.
"People who are not used to the Australian system go into the most difficult places to work and yes, a lot of them, once they get their fellowship ... a lot of them do leave," Dr Thurley said.
He said the education of their children became very important for some doctors in rural areas, which encouraged them to move away.
"The other big disadvantage in a lot of the remote communities is the sub-standard housing," he said.
The hearing also heard from Dr Salahuddin Chowdhury, who works in the Northern Territory - he was forced to sit English proficiency tests twice despite passing them the first time.
Chairman of the committee, MP Steve Georganas, said it was not an uncommon situation.
"This is something we have been seeing all around the country, where a particular test has been asked to be done again because someone has moved inter-state," he said.
Mr Georganas said some sort of system was needed to help overseas-trained doctors overcome the hurdles they faced in Australia.
The inquiry into overseas-trained doctors began in November 2010 and the Darwin hearing was the final public hearing into the matter.
Recommendations from the committee are expected to be released in the next few months.
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