ONE-third of Victorian country doctors could abandon the bush if the state government fails to fund a workforce rescue package in the May budget. 

The Australian Medical Association Victoria said a recent survey found 37 per cent of the GPs surveyed who provide services to country hospitals did not plan on practising medicine in rural parts of the state beyond five years.

"We knew we would lose a substantial number of doctors to retirement over the next few years but many more doctors are ready to abandon rural practice because they are burnt out," association president Dr Harry Hemley said.

He said rural doctors saw patients in local hospitals, were woken up during the night to answer phone calls and accepted on-call arrangements that prevented them from taking holidays or spending time with their families.

"Rural doctors are overwhelmed by pressures beyond running their own general practice clinics," Dr Hemley said.

The survey of around 650 rural doctors was conducted last December.

AMA Victoria has put a $94.6 million four-year proposal to the state government to help retain and attract doctors to rural areas.

Dr Hemley said the rescue package recommends incentives for doctors to relocate to rural areas and proposes rewards for rural doctors' long-term contribution to their communities.

It also recommends payments for after-hours or overnight phone consultations - services which are not currently remunerated.