Becoming a GP

If you wish to become a general practitioner - a doctor who is certified to work in independent general practice anywhere in Australia - you need to become familiar with the various pathways that will enable you to do this.

The most frequently used pathway is that of the Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT).  This program is administered on behalf of the federal government by General Practice Education and Training (GPET). GPET has set up a network of 20 regional training providers (RTPs) across Australia to deliver regionally based training according to the standards set by the two General Practice colleges. This training is undertaken in general practice clinics and other approved settings

Doctors wishing to enter general practice training should make themselves familiar with the entry requirements of the training program by accessing the GPET website .

The training standards that each of the RTPs must follow are now determined by two credentialing bodies:

  1. The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM): the ACRRM curriculum  
  2. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP): the RACGP curriculum  

Although the standards of each of above bodies are similar, they do have important differences, particularly in the areas of procedural medicine and assessment. Doctors who successfully apply to join the training program are required to nominate that the will follow the standards of one, or both, of the above bodies. It is important that this decision be made at the time of joining the program to ensure that the appropriate requirements are complied with as early as possible in your training. This helps ensure a more even distribution of your workload.

The main steps in becoming a GP are summarised below:


A.  The Application and Appointment Process.

  1. Determine your eligibility requirements.
  2. If eligible, apply on-line to GPET (applications are usually called for in late May/early June of each year) listing your preferred training providers in order of preference.
  3. After being confirmed as being eligible, your application will be forwarded to your preferred RTP.
  4. Your RTP will then interview you.
  5. If you are successful at the interview, your RTP will then offer you a position in the training program.
  6. If you accept the offer, you will be provided with a list of practices willing to host a general practice registrar.
  7. You then arrange an interview with those practices in which you would be prepared to work.
  8. Following the interviews, both the practices and applicants send their preference lists to Greater Green Triangle.
  9. Greater Green Triangle then undertakes a matching procedure, and allocates applicants to practices according to the preference lists of both the applicant and the medical practice.


B. Program Requirements

Once you have entered the program, you will be required to complete the following:

1. Indicate to your RTP your nominated training end point (FACRRM and/or FRACGP).

2. Complete the required hospital rotations or seek recognition of prior learning (RPL) where these units have already been completed.

3. Complete six months in each of the following terms:

  • Basic
  • Advanced
  • Subsequent.

At the end of your six months of subsequent term you can elect to:

  • Continue in subsequent term for a further six months
  • To undertake an Advanced Rural Skills placement in Small Town Rural Medicine
  • To undertake a special skills placement in an area of your special interest.

It is possible to complete all of your GP terms in the same practice provided that you complete a Practice Comparison Study.  This involves in depth comparison between the practice in which you are placed and another practice. This study is then presented at an appropriate workshop.


4.  You are required to maintain a satisfactory attendance rate at GGT registrar workshops which include:

  • Residential workshops
  • Emergency skills workshops
  • GP Division activities
  • Local GP sessions
  • Practice Meetings

Optional Programs

GGT prides itself on being able to cater for individual differences; however, to be able to do this we rely on registrars to make their aspirations and long term career goals known to our education team so that we can work with the registrar, host practices and agencies to arrange appropriate placements. There are two major options available to registrars seeking to pursue a particular interest:

a.  Advanced Rural Skills Placement (ARSP)

An ARSP can be either a 6 month or 12 month placement in an accredited training position in one of the following areas:

  • Anaesthetics
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Child and Adolescent Health
  • Small Town Rural Medicine

b.  Extended/Special Skills

These placements are also for either a six month or 12 month placement. The placement must be undertaken in an accredited position. The registrar needs to submit a learning plan outlining their objectives in undertaking the placement. These positions are negotiated with the registrar and host practice/organisation.

Please note that both ARSPs and Special Skills placements can be completed at any time during the training program, but ideally they are best undertaken after completing your subsequent term.

5.  Assessment

Please refer to the separate assessment page.


 
 

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