An incentive of $12,000 in subsidies rolled out this week to support healthcare students in their studies. 

The NSW initiative will allow students to apply for the subsidies, with 850 nursing students, 400 medical students and 150 midwifery students expected to enter the program each year. 

Paramedicine, Aboriginal health, dentistry and oral health therapy, psychology, pharmacy, physiotherapy and medical physics will also be eligible. 

As well as incentivise the careers, the subsidies are aimed at keeping students in NSW, and bringing others from further afield. 

Recipients of the funds must commit to five years of employment in the NSW public health system. 

“In recent years, we’ve seen hard working NSW healthcare workers leave for other states, and the competition for graduates is just as tough,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said. 

“We are determined to ensure the nurses, paramedics, allied health workers and doctors are there for patients when they need.”

It’s estimated the subsidies will support around one third of health worker graduates over the next three years. 

With an entire cohort having just finished their HSC and able to enter university, the subsidies have arrived just in time to draw another generation of the crucial health workforce.

Students successful in their application and beginning their degrees will receive subsidies of $4,000 per year over three years. Existing students will receive one-off payments of $8,000 after acceptance of employment for a position within NSW Health. 

As part of efforts to rebuild the regional health system, the eligibility of the subsidy also required certain workforce groups, including potential nurses, paramedics and doctors to intent to commit to working in rural and regional areas or study in a rural area. 

Across five years, the program will cost over $120 million. 

There are a limited number of subsidies available, and applications will remain open until all subsidies are awarded.