The North West Hospital and Health Service (HHS) workforce has been boosted in 2023 with five new intern doctors and 23 graduate program nurses and midwives starting their careers.

North West HHS Acting Chief Executive Sean Birgan said it was promising to see the number of interns and graduates applying to live and work rurally.

“We are very excited to welcome these new intern doctors and graduate nurses who will have opportunities unique to the North West,” Mr Birgan said.

“North West HHS has a reputation for being a challenging and rewarding training facility and these staff will reap the rewards of choosing our health service to support them as they progress their careers.”

Mr Birgan said the 2023 group would play an incredibly important role in the local community.

“As we continue to live with COVID-19 and manage the general healthcare of our communities, we know how essential it is to ensure our workforce remains strong to best take care of our vulnerable population.”

Of the five medical interns, four have been studying at James Cook University in Townsville and one has been studying at the University of Melbourne. All five are on the Rural Generalist Pathway, which gives junior medical officers the opportunity to become a Rural Generalist and explore a variety of clinical training and develop the advanced skillset needed to support the health needs of rural communities.

The cohort of 23 graduate nurses and midwives join the health service from around Australia, with some relocating from the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.