General Practice Experience Pathway – Entry

Last updated 5 May 2023

Important Notice

The Fellowship Support Program (FSP) is governed by the training program policies for 2023. This policy does not apply to applicants for the FSP.

1. General Practice Experience Pathway – Entry Policy

1.1 Category: Education

1.2 Approval date: July 2020

1.3 Revision due date: July 2023

1.4 Unit responsible: Education Services


2. Policy declaration

Prospective applicants must meet the requirements outlined in this policy to be accepted into the RACGP General Practice Experience Pathway.


3. Background

3.1 Objectives

The objective of this policy is to describe the entry requirements for, and the process by which an applicant may be accepted into, the General Practice Experience Pathway.


4. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

  1. Applicant means a medical practitioner applying for entry into the General Practice Experience Pathway.


5. General principles

5.1 Pathway entry

To enter the pathway under this policy, applicants must:

  1. Be assessed as eligible to enter the pathway by either:
    1. holding a valid general practice experience assessment outcome with an outcome of at least one month in general practice, as assessed under the Assessment of General Practice Experience Assessment Policy, and provide evidence of general practice recognition from Services Australia; or
    2. holding a valid Program Agreement for the RACGP’s Practice Experience Program - Standard Stream (PEP Standard).
  2. Hold current medical registration in their current jurisdiction of practice. Applicants must promptly disclose all details of any:
    1. restrictions on or changes to their medical registration; and
    2. regulatory authority activity, whether in Australia or otherwise, that:
      • has led or may lead to a restriction on practice; or
      • has led to an adverse finding for the medical practitioner, or forms part of an ongoing investigation.
    Applicants with restrictions on their medical registration or any other regulatory activity may be refused entry into the General Practice Experience Pathway. Failure to disclose details regarding medical registration outlined in this subclause will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy;
  3. Be a financial RACGP member from the time of joining the General Practice Experience Pathway and throughout their candidature;
  4. Satisfy the Member Code of Conduct; and
  5. Resign their candidacy on any other RACGP pathways to Fellowship, including but not limited to the Specialist Pathway and the Vocational Training Pathway.


6. Granting entry

Assessment of an applicant’s eligibility to enter the General Practice Experience Pathway will be determined on the criteria outlined in clause 5.1 above. The decision to grant entry into the General Practice Experience Pathway is at RACGP's absolute discretion.


7. Reconsideration

If an applicant believes that a decision regarding their entry into the General Practice Experience Pathway has been made incorrectly, they may apply for reconsideration in line with the RACGP Reconsiderations and Appeals Policy.

An application for reconsideration must be submitted to the RACGP within ten national office business days of the date of the original decision.


8. Related policies, documents and legislation

All related policies are available here.

All related guidance documents are available here.


9. Administrative procedures

9.1 Access to published policy

This policy will be available via the RACGP website as detailed in clause 8.

9.2 Promulgation of published policy

Relevant staff members will be provided communications explaining the function and role of this policy.

9.3 Review of this policy

This policy will have a review cycle of three years.

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