Fiji School of Medicine students are calling on the Government to address delayed job postings, rising living costs and the lack of financial support for clinical attachments in the 2026-2027 National Budget to be announced next Friday.
A 22-year-old medical graduate from Ba, who wished to remain anonymous, says he graduated in December last year and has been waiting for nearly six months to receive a Government posting despite completing his studies under a scholarship programme.
He says the uncertainty has been frustrating, particularly because newly graduated doctors spend years developing clinical skills that begin to fade without regular practice.
The graduate says the prolonged waiting period also affects motivation and creates financial hardship, forcing many graduates to seek employment outside the medical field while waiting for postings.
He stresses some graduates struggle to find temporary work because employers know they may leave once they receive their postings, leading some to withhold information about their circumstances just to secure a source of income.
The graduate whose parents are farmers, says many students cannot continue relying on family support after graduation and need their own source of income to meet daily expenses.
He is calling for a clear timeframe to be established, suggesting students should be informed before graduation that they will receive their postings within three or four months.
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old privately funded medical student says increasing hostel fees and the rising cost of groceries and other necessities remain among the biggest challenges faced by students.
The student who is originally from Lautoka says a significant portion of students' allowances is spent on accommodation costs, leaving limited funds to cover other expenses.
While acknowledging that hostel facilities are acceptable, the student says the fees charged each semester are too high for many students.
The student also expresses concern about the rising cost of living and questioned how future healthcare workers would cope if salaries fail to keep pace with increasing expenses.
The privately funded student is calling for allowances to be introduced for students undertaking community and clinical attachments, saying such support would help ease the financial burden of travelling and completing placements outside the university.
The student also urges authorities to create more job opportunities and improve recruitment pathways for medical graduates, noting that Fiji continues to face shortages of healthcare workers.
The students hope the upcoming National Budget will address these concerns and provide practical solutions to support both current medical students and newly qualified graduates entering the workforce.
The 2026/2027 National Budget will be delivered at 10am next Friday.
