General practice

^{Disclaimer: Training pathway information is current as at June 2021 and is subject to change. Please check and confirm specific details with relevant Colleges and health authorities directly.}

The Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT) is the leading training program for medical graduates wishing to specialise in General Practice. AGPT is one of two entry points into the RACGP’s Vocational Training Pathway that lead to Fellowship, the other entry point being the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS). AGPT is one of three entry points into the ACRRM Vocational Training Pathway that lead to Fellowship, the other entry points being the RVTS and the Independent Pathway (IP). This Reference Guide relates to the AGPT entry point.

While general practice is a recognised medical specialty, not all medical practitioners working as General Practitioners in Australia hold a specialist general practice qualification. Trainees will need to apply for a training place to gain fellowship with their preferred College/s, Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine and/or The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The two end points of the AGPT Program are the Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) and the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).

Fellowship is a 4-year full time (or part-time equivalent) training pathway with ACRRM; and a 3-year full time (or part-time equivalent) training pathway with RACGP as outlined below:

RACGP Pathway to Fellowship

Vocational training towards RACGP Fellowship is comprised of the following:

Hospital Training	12 months (full time equivalent)	The minimum requirement for entry to general practice training is one year of training in an Australian or New Zealand hospital.*
General Practice Placements	18 months (full time equivalent)	- Training must be undertaken in an accredited general practice training post under an accredited supervisor - Training must be undertaken in at least two different general practices.
Extended Skills Training	6 months (full time equivalent)	Maximum 6 months (full time) approved Extended Skills Training.

Hospital Training

12 months (full time equivalent)

The minimum requirement for entry to general practice training is one year of training in an Australian or New Zealand hospital.*

General Practice Placements

18 months (full time equivalent)

- Training must be undertaken in an accredited general practice training post under an accredited supervisor

- Training must be undertaken in at least two different general practices.

Extended Skills Training

6 months (full time equivalent)

Maximum 6 months (full time) approved Extended Skills Training.

Enrolling in the Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP) will enable you to complete an additional 12 months of Advanced Rural Skills Training (ARST) via an optional 4^th year.

*Please note that completion of mandatory hospital rotations are required prior to entry into general practice terms but do not need to be completed prior to application and entry into the RACGP training program. The mandatory hospital rotations include those required for general medical registration (General Medicine, General Surgery and Emergency Medicine) as well as:

Paediatrics requirement
3 additional rotations of choice relevant to general practice (e.g. Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Psychiatry, etc)

ACRRM Pathway to Fellowship

Core Generalist Training (CGT)	36 months (full time)	CGT may be started at PGY2 or above and is completed in accredited training posts which include the hospital and regional, rural and remote settings. Minimum requirements include: Hospital rotations: - 10 weeks Obstetrics & Gynecology (PGY1+)* - 10 weeks Paediatrics (PGY1+)* - 10 weeks Anaesthetics (PGY1+)* *As these terms are sometimes hard to obtain in regional settings, there are alternatives to meeting these requirements. Please consult the Fellowship Training Program Handbook and discuss with your local Regional Training Organisation. Community/Rural and Remote Practice: - 6 months Primary Care (PGY2+) - 3 months Secondary Care (PGY2+) - 3 months Emergency Care (PGY2+) - 12 months in Rural and Remote Practice (living and working in a rural or remote community)
Advanced Specialised Training (AST)	12 months (full time equivalent)	Advanced Specialised Training requires a minimum of 12 months training (from PGY3+) in one of the following disciplines specified by the College: - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Academic Practice - Adult Internal Medicine - Anaesthetics - Emergency Medicine - Mental Health - Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Paediatrics - Palliative Care - Population Health - Remote Medicine; or - Surgery

Core Generalist Training (CGT)

36 months (full time)

CGT may be started at PGY2 or above and is completed in accredited training posts which include the hospital and regional, rural and remote settings.

Minimum requirements include:
Hospital rotations:
- 10 weeks Obstetrics & Gynecology (PGY1+)*
- 10 weeks Paediatrics (PGY1+)*
- 10 weeks Anaesthetics (PGY1+)*

*As these terms are sometimes hard to obtain in regional settings, there are alternatives to meeting these requirements. Please consult the Fellowship Training Program Handbook and discuss with your local Regional Training Organisation.

Community/Rural and Remote Practice:
- 6 months Primary Care (PGY2+)
- 3 months Secondary Care (PGY2+)
- 3 months Emergency Care (PGY2+)
- 12 months in Rural and Remote Practice (living and working in a rural or remote community)

Advanced Specialised Training (AST)

12 months (full time equivalent)

Advanced Specialised Training requires a minimum of 12 months training (from PGY3+) in one of the following disciplines specified by the College:

- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
- Academic Practice
- Adult Internal Medicine
- Anaesthetics
- Emergency Medicine
- Mental Health
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Palliative Care
- Population Health
- Remote Medicine; or
- Surgery

Entry requirements/pre-requisites

Application and selection process

Trainees have the choice of two College training pathways. Trainees may choose to train with ACRRM or with RACGP; OR trainees may choose to train with both Colleges. Trainees can apply to undertake Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) through these Colleges anytime from PGY1.

Regional Training Organisations (RTOs) contracted by the Department of Health, deliver the College’s education and training program, based on the College standards and requirements, within a specific geographic region to registrars on the AGPT pathway. In Queensland, there are two Regional Training Organisations: For North Western Queensland – GP Training James Cook University https://www.jcugp.edu.au/ and for South Eastern Queensland - General Practice Training Queensland (GPTQ) https://www.gptq.qld.edu.au/.

Applications for entry to the AGPT Program usually open in late March and close in late April for entry in the following year. Applicants will need to submit an online application through their preferred College/s including supporting documents, referee details and training region preferences.

Program requirements

Career Champions and Useful Links

Medical Colleges and Training

Peak Bodies and Clinical Networks

Fact Sheets and Guides

Research and Journals

Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP)
The Medical Journal of Australia
Australian Medical Student Journal
British Journal of General Practice (Access via UQ Library Online)
The European Journal of General Practice (Access via UQ Library Online)

Social

AOGP - Facebook, Twitter
RACGP Specific Interests Facebook Group (Group by RACGP) - Facebook
RACGP National Faculty for GPs in Training Facebook Group - Facebook
RACGP Rural Faculty Facebook Group - Facebook
RACGP Queensland Faculty Facebook Group - Facebook

Career Opportunities and Promotion

Faces of Regional Medicine Video: General Practice - YouTube
Queensland Health RMO and Registrar Recruitment Campaign

Career Champion

To speak with a Career Champion, please contact your local Regional Training Hub Team.