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Medical students are calling for an increase to the trainee intern grant, which has��remained unchanged��for close to two decades. ����

The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association has seen an uptick in students coming to them, concerned they cannot afford to finish their degree.�� It has also raised concern about students being asked to complete duties beyond their remit, due to shortages in the medical system. ����

The $26,756 stipend set in 2006 is for domestic medical students working as interns in��their sixth year of study. It is set by the government and designed to reimburse costs while on clinical placement. ����

Students are on placement for up to 40 hours��a week and are advised��against taking up part-time��work. They are not paid an additional��wage for the placement work and the grant mostly disqualifies them from receiving student allowances. ����

NZMSA surveys show that 60 percent of medical students are��skipping essentials like bills, doctor appointments,��and food to make ends meet, president��Indira Fernando said. ����

Many students rely��on financial support from their families, but not all can. ����

“For the students who��can’t rely on their parents, the students who are parents themselves, or the students whose families are relying on them to make ends meet, it��is��an almost impossible situation,” Fernando said. ����

NZMSA has also seen a sharp spike in being asked to "cover" for House Officers. The interns do not feel they can say no, due to need in the medical system, Fernando said. ����

She said there are dangers for��all involved when trainee interns are asked to do tasks they are not qualified to do or do not feel confident doing. ����

Adjusted for inflation, the grant would be worth more than $39,000 today. Fernando hopes the new government will increase it. ����

Ministry of Education group manager, policy, Katrina Sutich, said they appreciate the transition from student to intern is challenging��and the grant is an important source of financial support. Since 2006, successive governments have focused on managing the overall costs of the student support system, she said. ����

The Ministry and Tertiary Education Commission have discussed��with NZMSA the possibility of providing��the grant as a lump sum payment��to help meet up-front tuition fees and living costs, as some students may have used up their entitlement to a student loan. Most interns receive the grant in 12 monthly payments, but a graduate-entry student can choose to have it in one instalment. ����

Te��Whatu��Ora Health New Zealand interim chief clinical officer Dr.��Richard Sullivan said NZMSA has raised concerns with them about trainee interns being asked to "cover" for House Officers. Te��Whatu��Ora is clear it would not expect a trainee intern to do this as they are not registered medical practitioners.����

It has reiterated this expectation and invited NZMSA to provide��any details of instances��of this so��Te��Whatu��Ora can address them. ����

Shannon Johnstone is a journalist at����һ�ǿ�����talk ZB��based in Auckland covering education and general news. She joined����һ�ǿ�����talk ZB��in 2021 and previously worked at��Hawke's Bay Today.��