Young doctors are qualified and willing, but unemployed

South African medical graduates are some of the best in the world, but hundreds of them cannot find work. 

This generation of young South African doctors has done everything required of them. They spent years studying medicine, completed internships, served the country through compulsory community service, and prepared to begin their careers. Yet many have been left sitting at home, sending applications, and waiting for phone calls that never come. 

The situation has created a striking contradiction. South Africa continues to suffer major healthcare challenges and shortages of medical professionals in many communities. At the same time, hundreds of qualified doctors struggle to secure permanent employment. Among them are several young Jewish doctors who say the experience has been frustrating, financially damaging, and emotionally exhausting. 

Talia* completed her community service in the Eastern Cape in December 2025. She expected to move into a permanent position soon afterwards but instead, found herself unemployed. “People assume that because you’re a doctor, you’ll always have a job,” she says. “The reality is that I send out applications every week and often don’t even receive a response.” 

She moved back in with her parents “because I simply couldn’t afford rent without a stable income”. 

The unemployment of young doctors has received growing national attention over the years. Medical organisations, labour unions, and professional associations have repeatedly warned that qualified doctors are struggling to find posts despite the country’s healthcare needs. 

In early 2025, government acknowledged that about 1 800 doctors were unemployed. Additional funding was later allocated to absorb some of them into the public healthcare system. However, concerns remained that many qualified doctors would still be left without positions. 

In March 2025, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced additional funding to employ 800 post-community service doctors who were without work. 

Healthcare organisations welcomed the announcement, but it also illustrated the scale of the problem. At the time, an estimated 1 800 qualified doctors were unemployed across South Africa. Even after the additional funding, about 1 000 doctors would still be left without permanent posts. 

The situation remained a concern the following year. In early 2026, the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) conducted a survey of doctors whose community service contracts had ended in December 2025. The survey found that only 411 of the 1 891 doctors in the cohort had secured employment by January 2026. 

That meant about 1 480 newly qualified doctors remained unemployed only weeks after completing community service. The findings intensified concerns about the public healthcare system’s ability to absorb young professionals. 

SAMATU said the results highlighted the growing disconnect between South Africa’s healthcare needs and the employment opportunities available to qualified doctors. The union warned that prolonged unemployment risked pushing more young doctors to seek opportunities overseas while hospitals and clinics continued to face staffing shortages. 

For doctors on the ground, the explanations offer little comfort. Kayla* completed community service in the Northern Cape in December 2025. Months later, she is still looking for work. “Every rejection feels personal, even though I know it’s usually about budgets rather than qualifications,” she says. 

Kayla says she has broadened her search significantly. “I’ve applied in multiple provinces and across different disciplines because at this stage, I’m simply looking for an opportunity to serve and gain experience.” 

The uncertainty affects more than finances. “I don’t know whether to wait, relocate, or consider leaving the profession altogether,” she says. 

Some doctors have spent extended periods unemployed. Daniel* completed community service in Limpopo in December 2024, but spent almost a year without a job before finally securing a medical officer position earlier this year. 

“I did everything that was asked of me,” he says. “I completed internship, community service, and applied for every position I could find, but month after month there was nothing.” During that period, Daniel relied on savings and occasional locum work to survive. 

“There were times when I wondered whether all those years of study had been worth it,” he says. “My classmates overseas were progressing in their careers while I was hustling to support myself on a daily basis.” 

When a permanent position became available, the relief was immense. “When I got the call offering me a position, I just sat in silence for a few minutes,” he says. “It felt like my life could finally start moving forward again.” 

Others have decided they can no longer afford to wait. Joshua* completed community service in KwaZulu-Natal in December 2024. After months of unsuccessful applications in South Africa, he began exploring opportunities abroad. 

“Leaving South Africa wasn’t part of my plan,” he says. “I wanted to build my career here.” 

His experience overseas contrasted sharply with what he encountered at home. “After months of unsuccessful applications, I started looking abroad and within a few weeks I had interviews lined up,” he says. 

Joshua eventually accepted a position with the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. “The NHS offered me a contract, a clear career path, and support with relocation,” he says. “It was difficult to say no when I wasn’t getting opportunities at home.” Although he has settled into his new role, he hasn’t ruled out returning. “I still hope to return to South Africa one day, but right now I need to go where I can actually practise medicine.” 

The departure of young doctors has raised concerns about the long-term impact on South Africa’s healthcare system. Training a doctor requires substantial public and private investment, and many healthcare professionals believe the country cannot afford to lose skilled graduates. 

Michael*, who completed community service in the Free State in December 2024, currently survives on intermittent locum work while searching for a permanent position. “Locum shifts help me pay the bills, but they don’t provide the stability or training opportunities that a permanent post would,” he says. 

“My biggest concern is falling behind professionally,” Michael says. “Medicine moves quickly, and long periods without structured work can affect your development.” 

He believes many young doctors share his frustration. “We keep hearing about doctor shortages, yet there are many of us who are qualified and ready to work immediately.” 

For patients, the issue may seem difficult to understand. South Africa faces significant healthcare pressures, particularly in rural areas and under-resourced communities. Yet the availability of doctors depends not only on need, but also on funded posts, provincial budgets, and broader government spending priorities. 

As health departments continue searching for solutions, many newly qualified doctors remain in limbo. They are trained, licensed, and ready to serve. For now, however, many are still waiting for the opportunity to do so. 

*Sources have asked for their names to be changed due to privacy concerns.