Policy Exemption
Practice Experience Program - Standard Stream Eligibility policy
Important notice
Candidates who are unsuccessful in the January 2022 PEPEA will be exempt from clause 4.5 of this policy, meaning they are able to sit the consecutive PEPEA held in April 2022.
This is to enable all candidates the maximum opportunity to meet eligibility requirements for the final grant funded Practice Experience Program - Standard Stream intake in July 2022.
For those who are unsuccessful in April 2022, the RACGP is exploring further options for future education programs on the GPE Pathway. For further information visit the After the PEP page here.
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this policy is to:
- describe the process by which the RACGP may accept an applicant into the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream (PEP Standard); and
- outline the applicant’s eligibility requirements, assessment of core knowledge and the development of individual program requirements.
1.2 Context
The RACGP developed the PEP Standard to provide non-vocationally recognised doctors with a pathway to Fellowship grounded in individualised learning. There are four intakes per year. If an application is not completed within the prescribed timelines, the partial application may be resumed in the following intake.
2. Scope
3. Eligibility
3.1 Medical Registration
Applicants must:
- Appear on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) Register of Practitioners as a medical practitioner by the date of commencement of the first term of the PEP Standard;
- Hold registration under the general, limited or provisional registration categories:
- If an applicant has approved sites under their medical registration, these must include their PEP Standard placement by commencement of the first term of the program; and
- Hold registration without any restrictions, conditions, undertakings, or suspensions that limit scope of practice as determined by PEP Medical Educators (PEP MEs), by the date of commencement of the first term of PEP Standard.
3.2 Job and provider number
Applicants must have a job or an offer of a job which:
- Meets minimum part-time requirements of 14.5-hour working week over two sessions, 10.5 hours of which must be face-to-face;
- Demonstrates a contractual arrangement to provide medical services for at least six months in the same practice from the commencement of the first term of the PEP Standard; and
- Is in an approved placement as determined by the RACGP and in compliance with the Department of Health’s General Practice Fellowship program Placement Guidelines.
3.3 The RACGP will take into account previous participation in other RACGP programs and candidature on Fellowship pathways when considering program applications. Participants who have previously received Australian Government funding through the Non-Vocationally Registered Fellowship Support Program by participating in the PEP Standard or Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Independent Pathway (IP) are not eligible for a position on PEP Standard.
3.4 Applicants must have a minimum of one exam semester remaining to complete all Fellowship examinations, as per the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy, if the applicant has previously sat Fellowship Exams since January 2019.
3.5 Applicants who do not currently meet the eligibility criteria are permitted to apply for future intakes.
3.6 Applicants found eligible but who do not ultimately enter the PEP may be subject to additional eligibility checks should they re-apply in the future. This may occur if they do not pass the Practice Experience Program Entry Assessment (PEPEA), if they are not allocated to a training provider, or if they withdraw their application following their eligibility determination.
4. PEP Entry Assessment
4.1 All applicants, other than those exempted under clause 4.6, must pass the PEPEA before entering the PEP Standard.
4.2 At the RACGP’s discretion, applicants who have not yet met eligibility requirements may be permitted to sit the PEPEA. Successful PEPEA candidates must meet eligibility requirements prior to commencing the PEP.
4.3 The outcome of the PEPEA is valid for 12 calendar months from the date of results release. If applicants do not enter PEP Standard within this time, they must pass the PEPEA again.
4.4 Applicants who do not pass the PEPEA are permitted future attempts, subject to clause 4.5, below.
4.5 The RACGP will not permit applicants to undertake consecutive PEPEA attempts.
4.6 PEPEA Exemptions
- To be exempt from the PEPEA, an applicant must be either:
- A current RVTS or AGPT registrar who has completed all training terms ; or
- A previous RVTS or AGPT registrar who has completed all training terms and was withdrawn within the three years of the expected start date in PEP.
- The applicant seeking PEPEA exemption must provide evidence that they have completed all training terms as follows:
- AGPT registrars must provide a Registrar Profile Report (RIDE transcript) confirming completion of GPT1, GPT2, GPT3 and Extended Skills terms (or ACRRM equivalent of 24 months’ FTE of Primary Rural and Remote Training (PRRT). If a Registrar Profile Report cannot be provided, an exemption from the PEPEA will not be granted.
- RVTS registrars must provide an official letter from RVTS (on RVTS letterhead) confirming completion of all training terms. If an official letter cannot be provided, an exemption from the PEPEA will not be granted.
5. Program Requirements
5.1The RACGP’s analysis of the participant’s documentation (qualifications, experience, etc) and PEPEA results will inform their Individual Program Requirements (IPR) including determination of their program length. Applicants agree to the IPR via signature of the Program Agreement.
6. Program Entry
6.1 To gain entry to the PEP Standard, applicants must:
- Provide evidence of having completed a Basic Life Support (BLS) course within the six months prior to their start date on the PEP Standard. The requirements and accepted BLS courses are detailed in the RACGP’s Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support Guidance Document;
- Pass the PEPEA unless exempted;
- 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, and
- Sign the Program Agreement and pay their first term’s invoice.
6.2 GPs in Training (GPiT) can only be enrolled in one RACGP Fellowship pathway at a time. If a GPiT seeks to participate in a different Fellowship pathway, they must resign their candidature in the current pathway prior to commencement into the alternative pathway. If a change in pathway is accepted, the GPiT must then meet all of the requirements of the new pathway to be awarded Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP).
6.3 Applicants who have previously been enrolled in and subsequently withdrawn from other Australian Government funded 3GA programs, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, may apply for entry to the PEP Standard. However:
- Acceptance into the PEP Standard is at the RACGP’s absolute discretion, subject to the funding restrictions of clause 3.3;
- Applicants must disclose reasons for their withdrawal from the previous program;
- The RACGP reserves the right to request further information from the relevant program or organisation regarding an applicant’s prior withdrawal; and
- Failure to disclose a prior withdrawal will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.
6.4 Prior exam results
In accordance with the General Practice Experience Pathway – Exam Eligibility Policy, active PEP participants are not eligible to sit Fellowship examinations until they have completed their program as per the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework and their individual program agreement. Therefore, the RACGP will:
- Pause a participant’s examination candidacy upon entry to the PEP Standard;
- Retain all prior valid Fellowship examination results (including those that were unsuccessful) upon entry to the PEP Standard, subject to current RACGP examination policy as detailed in the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy; and
- Suspend the timeframe for expiry of existing successful Fellowship examination attempts for the duration of participation in the educational component of the PEP Standard. The timeframe for expiry of Fellowship examination results will recommence once the educational component of the PEP Standard is complete or when the candidate becomes eligible to recommence exam attempts (whichever is the sooner) as detailed in theFellowship Exam Attempts Policy.
7. Reconsideration
7.1 If an applicant believes that a decision regarding their entry into the PEP Standard has been made incorrectly, they may apply for reconsideration in line with the RACGP Reconsiderations and Appeals Policy.
7.2 An application for reconsideration must be submitted to the RACGP within ten national office business days of the date of the original decision.
8. Amendment of this Policy
The CIC may, without the consent of the Board, make Minor and Moderate and Extenuating Minor 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.
9. Responsibilities
9.1 RACGP Board
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Approval of policy and Major Amendments.
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9.2 Censor-in-Chief
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- Provide advice on the grounds for special exemption from the PEPEA.
- Responsible for approval of Minor, Moderate or Extenuating Amendments of this policy by delegation of the RACGP Board.
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9.3 Applicant
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Provide evidence that they meet the requirements of this policy
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9.4 RACGP
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Assess applications and provide outcomes to applicants.
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10. Glossaries
10.1 Minor Amendment
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An amendment to style, to correct grammatical mistakes, to change overall formatting, to make updates which do not materially change meaning, or any other amendment, which in the opinion of the owner of the policy, does not materially alter the operation of the policy.
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10.2 ACRRM
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Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
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10.3 Ahpra
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Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
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10.4 AGPT
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Australian General Practice Training
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10.5 Applicant
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A medical practitioner who is applying for entry into the Practice Experience Program.
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10.6 Australian Government funded 3GA programs
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Section 3GA programs are programs specified in the Regulations, for the purposes of s 3GA of the Health Insurance Act (1973). 3GA Programs provide training to doctors seeking vocational recognition by offering a range of incentives to doctors, such as access to a Medicare Provider Number (MPN) and access to the higher Medicare rebate items. Section 3GA programs include vocational training, vocational recognition and other training programs.
Which can include :
- AGPT
- RVTS
- Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Independent Pathway
- Rural Locum Relief Program (RLRP)
- Special Approved Placements Program (SAPP)
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10.7 Extended skills training
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Is a six-month term undertaken for the purpose of extending the depth and breadth of the Registrar’s skill base in areas relevant to primary medical care.
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10.8 Non-Vocationally Registered Fellowship Support Program
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An Australian Government initiative under which the RACGP’s Practice Experience Program and ACRRM’s Independent Pathway are funded.
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10.9 GP in Training
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A medical practitioner enrolled in any RACGP Approved Program before gaining Fellowship, of which there are two types;
- Registrars, who are currently enrolled in the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) or Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) programs; and
- Participants, who are currently enrolled in the Practice Experience Program (PEP) Standard and Specialist Streams.
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10.10 Individual Program Requirements
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The program structure that brings together the learning units, work based assessment activities and program duration.
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10.11 Participant
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A medical practitioner who has been accepted into the PEP Standard, and who has signed a Program Agreement with the RACGP.
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10.12 Part time general practice experience
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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.
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10.13 PEPEA
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The Practice Experience Program Entry Assessment is comprised of clinical applied knowledge questions and Situational Judgement Test (SJT) questions
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10.14 RIDE
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Registrars Information Data Exchange where data on AGPT registrars is hosted.
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10.15 RVTS
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Remote Vocational Training Scheme.
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10.16 Training provider
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Either a participants Training Organisation or the RACGP.
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11. Related Documents, Legislation and Policies
Compliance
Guidance
12. 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.
Version
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Date of effect
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Amended by
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3
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04/01/2022
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Policy Officer, Education Policy and Guidance
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Amendment details
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- Amendment to clause 3.3 to clarify those who have previously participated in the PEP or another program subsidised by the Non-Vocationally Registered Fellowship Support Program are not eligble for re-entry to the PEP Standard.
- Addition of clause 3.4 to align with Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy
- Nomenclature review
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Policy owner:
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Board
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Approved by:
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Censor-in-Chief
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Approved on:
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14/12/2021
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Next Review Due:
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07/2024
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