Practice Experience Program – Specialist Stream Partially Comparable Exam Eligibility

Policy

Last updated 31 May 2023

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this policy is to describe the exam eligibility requirements that partially comparable participants of the PEP Specialist Stream must meet.

1.2 Context

  1. The PEP Specialist Stream is the pathway to Fellowship of the RACGP available to specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs). Previous iterations of this pathway include:
    1. the Specialist Pathway Program (SPP), which ran from 2010 to 2018, and categorised SIMGs as Category 1, 2 or 3, or not comparable; and
    2. the Specialist Recognition Program (SRP), which superseded the SPP from 2018 to 2019.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to partially comparable SIMGs enrolled in the PEP Specialist Stream, and outlines the examination eligibility requirements of these participants.

2.2 This policy and associated policies superseded the existing SRP from 1 September 2019.

2.3 Participants enrolled in the SPP or SRP before 31 August 2019 continued their candidacy under policies in existence at the time of their enrolment in the SRP or SPP.

2.4 This policy is to be read in conjunction with the Practice Experience Program - Specialist Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework.

2.5 This policy replaces the previous Practice Experience Program – Specialist Stream Partially Comparable Exam Eligibility Policy and will come into effect as of Monday 31st May 2021.

3. Eligibility Requirements

3.1 Education and assessment requirements

To be eligible to undertake the examinations, participants must meet the criteria outlined in the Practice Experience Program - Specialist Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework, including:

  1. complete a Workplace Based Assessment (WBA) program, to be undertaken any time after the participant has worked three months’ full time equivalent (FTE) in comprehensive general practice; and
  2. provide supervisor reports to the RACGP within six months of commencing work, as required by the Medical Board of Australia

3.2 Administrative requirements

To be eligible to undertake the examinations, participants must:

  1. Hold current Australian medical registration and have promptly disclosed all details of any past or present:
    1. restrictions, conditions, suspensions and/or undertakings on, or changes to their medical registration; and
    2. regulatory authority activity, whether in Australia or otherwise, that:
      1. has led or may lead to a restriction, condition, suspension and/or undertaking on practice; or:
      2. has led to an adverse finding for the medical practitioner, or forms part of an ongoing investigation.

      Participants with restrictions on their medical registration or any other regulatory activity may not be eligible for exams. Participants must disclose changes to their medical registration to the RACGP via email to education@racgp.org.au. The RACGP will handle failure to disclose 3.2.i.a or b as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.

  2. Participants must hold financial membership of the RACGP from commencement of their program until they have either attained Fellowship or they have exhausted their Fellowship exam candidacy as per the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy. Please refer to the GP in Training Membership Guidance Document for further information.
  3. Have completed a minimum of six months’ FTE clinical experience in an RACGP approved comprehensive Australian general practice by the date of the exam. Participants may enrol in exams before completing six months in practice, provided they complete this requirement by the time the first exam is undertaken.

4. Changing in eligibility status

4.1 If after enrolment in an examination a participant becomes ineligible for that examination, they must promptly inform the RACGP and withdraw. Failure to do this will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.

5. Amendment of this Policy

The CIC may, without the consent of the Board, make Minor, Moderate and Extenuating Amendments to this policy at any time.

If the CIC makes amendments, they must advise the Board of those amendments as soon as practicable.

The Board may make amendments to this policy at any time.

6. Responsibilities

6.1 RACGP Board

Responsible for approval of policy and Major Amendments.

6.2 Censor-in-Chief

Responsible for Amendments.

6.3 Participant
  1. Provide all relevant documentation and supporting evidence regarding their eligibility for fellowship exams.
  2. Notify the RACGP of any changes to their eligibility status.

6.4 RACGP

Determine the participants exam eligibility status.

7. Glossary

7.1 Comparable/comparability

The extent to which an SIMG’s recency, continuity of practice, continual professional development, assessment, training, qualifications and clinical experience are assessed as equivalent to an Australian-trained specialist general practitioner at the point of Fellowship.

  1. Partially comparable means the participant has been assessed as suitable to undertake work in general practice in a supervised capacity and able to reach comparability within 24 months’ full time equivalent practice, with a maximum time on the program of 48 months if working part time.

7.2 Full time general practice experience

A 38-hour minimum working week, over a minimum of four days per week, of which a minimum of 27 hours must be in face-to-face, rostered, patient consultation time undertaking general practice activities. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or of less than one month in any one practice, will not be considered. Hours worked beyond this definition of full time will not be considered.

7.3 Multi Source Feedback (MSF)

MSF consists of three components – a colleague feedback assessment tool, a patient assessment tool, and a reflective task.

7.4 Part time general practice experience

Calculated pro-rata against the definition of full time general practice experience. Part time general practice must comprise a 14.5-hour minimum working week, over a minimum of two days per week, of which a minimum of 10.5 hours must be in face-to-face, rostered, patient consultation time undertaking general practice activities. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or of less than one month in any one practice, will not be considered.

7.5 Participant

A medical practitioner who has been accepted into the PEP Specialist Stream.

7.6 PEP Specialist Stream

The route to Fellowship available to SIMGs who have been assessed as substantially or partially comparable to an Australian-trained specialist general practitioner at the point of Fellowship.

7.7 Supervision/supervised practice

Supervision in line with the principles of supervision and supervised practice, based upon the prescribed Medical Board of Australia Guidelines – Supervised Practice of International medical graduates.

7.8 Workplace Based Assessment (WBA)

A framework for evaluating a doctor’s performance and progress in those areas of practice best assessed in the context of the workplace. The aim is to provide evidence that the SIMG is competent for unsupervised practice in Australia. The WBA program will include MSF, clinical assessment, a learning unit reflection task, and supervisor reports.

8. Related Documents, Legislation and Policies

Compliance

8.1 Academic Misconduct Policy

Guidance

8.2 Practice Experience Program - Specialist Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework.

9. Policy Review and Currency

This policy will be reviewed every three years from the last approval date, or when there is a significant change in the intent of the policy. This policy remains valid and applicable notwithstanding if it is overdue for review.

 

Release Notice

Version

Date of effect

Amendment details

Amended by

2

31/05/2021

Moderate Amendments

Policy Advisor, Strategy and Development

Policy owner:

Board

Approved by:

CiC

Approved on:

25/05/2021

Next Review Due:

31/05/2024

 

 

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