After years of intense study at a cost of up to $300,000 dollars, it's an uncertain future for some international medicine graduates.
"I don't mind going anywhere, my first priority is just to be registered," says recent UNSW medicine graduate from Indonesia, Stephanie Andriputri.
They are some of the 182 international would-be doctors, left without a public hospital internship needed to start practicing.
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Many, who would head to bush hospitals, are being forced to look even further afield.
Blaise Wardle, a Canadian medicine student, says his visa runs out in April next year and without an internship, he can't complete his studies.
"I have some options, I can apply to Canada this year,”
“The chances of getting a job are still not 100 per cent but it's better than none," he said.
"Some people are planning to go to Singapore because Singapore is heavily recruiting doctors, ” Ms Andriputri said.
The states have so far rejected the federal government's offer to fund 100 hospital internships, in exchange of having them pay for another 82 places to make up the shortfall.
The COAG stalemate is not helping a shortage of doctors for Australia aging population.
"There is definitely a doctor shortage. I think it just comes down to money," BMR Wardle said.
“It's not that we're not needed, it's just that there's a limited budget and no one wants to pick up the tab".
A tab that has fallen between the cracks of government.
In 2012, more than 3,500 students will graduate from Medicine, an increase of more than 500 from last year.
While the universities are driving this free-market growth, the public system is not keeping pace with internship places to meet demand.
Some are suggesting the public system is not the only way to integrate graduates.
Australian Medical Students Association President James Churchill says one of the options is expansion into the private sector.
“We really do need to consider alternative settings other than just the tradition model”
“The federal government has committed $10 million for one 100 places in the private system, so it's essential that the states come to the table with their share of the funding,”
For Mr Wardle, who is facing completion of his training abroad after living in Australia for the last four years, the problem must be solved.
"Losing 180 medical graduates this year that are trained in the Australian system, when Australia is importing hundreds of doctors every year [is] unbelievable actually,” he said.
The current stand-off also has some concerned about the damage it might do to the $3 billion education industry.
As the Facebook group, set up by international students still without internship offers reads: "No scholarships, no internships, don't come here”.
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