School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses

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They came to heal: Australia’s medical immigrants, 1960 to the present

Yeomans, Neville ( 2018)

This thesis examines the patterns of migration of international medical graduates (IMG) since 1960 and the processes used to decide who would be licensed to practice. It draws on several historiographical genres. Quantitative methods were used extensively to ascertain trends for which explanations based on political and social history could be sought. Complementing this larger picture, a collection of oral histories explores the social causes and consequences of migration, and the actualities of Australia’s licensing processes as experienced by individual immigrants The thesis fills a gap in historical research on the subject by compiling and analysing information previously reported only incompletely and in cross-sectional fashion during this period, juxtaposing it with examples that reveal the human impact of fluctuating official policies during this time. It will argue that Australia has unresolved problems when it comes to balancing the desire of immigrant doctors to practise in their new country with the expectations of the population for equitably distributed and high-quality health care.