RACGP - National Faculty of Specific Interests

The National Faculty of Specific Interests (NFSI) is a faculty of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), endorsed by council in 2008, charged with, ‘recognising the additional interest and expertise held by general practitioners in selected areas of general practice’ and facilitating GP members practising in these areas to ‘promote the area of specific interest and to share and develop related knowledge and materials’ (Council paper, February 2010).

Initial entry for groups into the NFSI is through the status of a network. Networks provide the opportunity for specific interest groups to share information and knowledge on their area of interest by regular contact, either online or by meetings. The network can also become more formal and offer continuing professional development (CPD) for its members and other general practitioners for whom a need has been identified.

Networks may also seek to develop formal educational materials directed towards the development of a diploma recognised within the RACGP. Once a network has developed an appropriate business plan, and has been approved by College Council to begin developing a diploma, the network becomes a Working Group.

The faculty currently has 15 endorsed networks and three endorsed working groups.