Universities will be offered more student places in a bid to boost the number of doctors in regional areas.
The federal government will spend $114 million over the next four years to increase the number of Commonwealth-supported university places for rural-trained medical students.
The increase will see 80 new medical places a year from next year.
A further $82 million will be set aside for rural medical school infrastructure investments.
The funding follows concern regional and rural locations did not have enough doctors in towns, with many relocating back to urban areas.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the funding would increase the supply of rurally trained doctors entering the medical workforce….