Last revised: 01 Jul 2025
The Practice Experience Program Specialist (PEP SP) is for Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) who hold a recognised overseas general practice specialist qualification and wish to qualify for specialist registration in Australia and be awarded Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP) via the Medical Board of Australia’s (MBA) Specialist Pathway – specialist recognition.
Before you can apply for entry into PEP SP, the RACGP will assess your comparability to an Australian trained specialist general practitioner (GP) at the point of admission to Fellowship. The outcome of the comparability assessment will determine if you’re eligible for entry into PEP SP, and if so, which stream you must undertake.
PEP SP has two streams: the Substantially Comparable (SC) stream and the Partially Comparable (PC) stream. Each stream has specific requirements you need to fulfill before you can apply for FRACGP and registration as a specialist GP in Australia.
During the program, you’ll spend a minimum of six months in comprehensive Australian general practice, during which you’ll work under supervision and complete targeted educational activities to enable your successful transition to the Australian general practice system. You’ll also have to sit assessments or exams to demonstrate that you’ve reached comparability with an Australian trained specialist GP commencing practice (ie at the level of a new Fellow of the RACGP).
In this handbook, we’ll focus on your PEP SP journey from the day you start the application process to the day you sign your program agreement. For information on each stream, refer to:
Advertising