Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Progression


Policy
Page last updated 1 October 2024

1. Purpose

1.1 Participants of the RACGP Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream (PEP Standard) must meet the progression requirements outlined in this policy.

1.2 Context
The PEP Standard has been developed to provide non-vocationally recognised doctors with a route to Fellowship grounded in online learning and Workplace-based assessment (WBA).

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all participants in the PEP Standard Stream.

2.2 This policy overrides any inconsistencies for PEP Standard participants.

3. General Principles

3.1 Participants are expected to maintain continuous progression in line with the requirements of their Program Agreement and the PEP – Standard Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework. Continued access to a provider number under the PEP Standard is contingent upon the participant meeting the terms of the PEP – Standard Stream Satisfactory Completion Framework as determined by the RACGP.

3.2 Progress is monitored by the RACGP via the PEP Portal, in liaison with the relevant Training Organisation.

3.3 Participants are responsible for ensuring that they are able to meet the requirements outlined in this policy.

3.4 Progression will be monitored with specific reference to:

    1. WBA participation, subject to clause 4.2 of this policy, and progress towards the expected standard;
    2. Evidence of self-directed learning.

3.5 GPs in Training must hold financial membership of the RACGP from the 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.

4. Educational requirements for progression

4.1 All participants are required to undertake the Initial Core Skills Analysis (ICSA) in their first and last (if undertaking PEP Exam Preparation) term of the PEP. This includes those exempted from the PEPEA as per the Practice Experience Program - Standard Stream Entry Policy.

4.2 Participants are required to fully participate in all required WBA activities, including assessments by peers (ie MSF process), patients and Medical Educators (MEs). Reflection on feedback and learning planning forms part of the WBA.

4.3 If the participant’s progress is assessed as insufficient by the Training Organisation, additional assistance (ie. remediation) may be recommended. For more information, see the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Remediation Policy. If remediation is undertaken, progress as required by the remediation program will be assessed.

5. Clinical requirements for progression

5.1 Employment and provider numbers

    1. Participants are responsible for maintaining suitable employment as a GP while undertaking the PEP, aligned with provider number eligibility requirements as outlined in the
    2. Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Participant Guide.
    3. Continued access to a provider number under the PEP is contingent upon the participant maintaining suitable employment.
    4. In the event that a participant’s employment circumstances change, they must inform the RACGP within 10 business days of notification of the change via the Change in Circumstance Form and they will have three months to secure new suitable employment. During this time they may:
      1. Take a clinical break, as per clause 5.2 of this policy; or
      2. Request leave from the Program, as per the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Leave and Extensions Policy;
    5. When new employment has been secured, the participant must submit employment details to the RACGP for the purposes of assessing provider number eligibility. Depending on the location of new employment, the participant may be required to submit a request for Training Organisation transfer, as per the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Transfer Policy.

5.2 Clinical breaks

Participants are expected to complete clinical and educational components of the program concurrently. If a participant is unable to fulfil the clinical requirements for any reason other than loss of medical registration, they may:

    1. Request leave in line with the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Leave and Extensions Policy;
    2. Continue to undertake educational components as a clinical break for up to three months. WBAs can be continued where feasible (i.e. via simulation rather than in-practice).

If at the end of three months’ clinical break the participant is unable to resume clinical work, they will be placed on enforced leave for up to three months, as per the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Leave and Extensions Policy;

6. Notifiable conduct

Assessors who undertake the WBA are bound by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) Guidelines for Mandatory Notifications. As such, assessors of PEP WBAs are required to report notifiable conduct to Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

7. Post-education provider number access

Participants who progress in line with the employment and educational terms of this policy, and in accordance with the PEP – Standard Satisfactory Completion Framework, will be given a continuation of their PEP provider number as detailed in the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Post-Education Progression Policy.

8. Amendment of this Policy

The Censor-in-Chief 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.

9. Responsibilities

RACGP Board

Responsible for approval of policy and Major Amendments.

Censor-in-Chief (CiC)

Responsible for approval of Amendments to the policy by delegation of the RACGP Board.

Participant

Responsible for complying with all clauses outlined in this policy.

Training Organisations

Responsible for liaising with the RACGP regarding participants’ progression through PEP Standard.

RACGP

Responsible for monitoring PEP participants’ progression through the online portal and communication with Training Organisations, and enforcing the regulations as laid out in this policy.

10. Glossaries

10.1 Assessor

A medical educator employed by the participant’s Training Organisation with skills and experience in evaluating general practice competencies.

10.2 Clinical break

A period of up to three months during which the participant may continue educational program components while not working clinically.

10.3 Enforced leave

Enforced leave will be applied to a maximum of six months in the event that a participant is unable to participate in the program due to cessation of medical registration or for up to three months in the event of failure to find suitable employment following a clinical break.

10.4 GPs in Training

A medical practitioner enrolled in any RACGP Approved Program before gaining Fellowship, of which there are two types:

    1. Registrars, who are currently enrolled in the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) or Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) programs, and
  1. Participants, who are currently enrolled in the Practice Experience Program (PEP) Standard and Specialist Streams

10.5 Initial Core Skills Analysis (ICSA)

A series of self-assessment tools used to help determine a participant’s progression around core skills between the start and end of the PEP.

10.6 Individual Program Requirements (IPR)

The program structure that brings together the participants learning units, assessment activities and program duration.

10.7 ME

Medical Educator.

10.8 Notifiable conduct

Please see the meaning given in the MBA Guidelines for Mandatory Notifications.

10.9 Participant

A medical practitioner enrolled in the PEP Standard.

10.10 Progression

The process by which a participant advances through the PEP, by progressively meeting the educational, administrative and assessment requirements of the PEP as outlined in the participant’s individual Program Agreement.

10.11 Assistance (or remediation)

An intervention addressing clinical skills deficiencies. The intervention may include, but is not limited to: revision of the learning plan; additional education sessions with a nominated ME to address knowledge deficits; case based discussion; direct observation of clinical skills; review of videorecorded consultations.

10.12 Workplace-Based Assessment (WBA)

The assessment of day-to-day working practices undertaken in the working environment. The WBA enables assessment of competencies in a real-world setting.

Please see the PEP Standard Stream Participant Guide for further information.

11. Related Documents, Legislation and Policies

Compliance

Guidance

12. Policy Review and Currency

This policy will be reviewed every one year 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

1.1

01/21

Minor

National Clinical Lead - Pathways

Policy owner:

RACGP Board

Approved by:

CiC, by delegation of the RACGP Board

Approved on:

14/12/2021

Next Review Due:

01/23

   

Enquiries

 1800 626 901

 racgpeducation@racgp.org.au

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