Important concepts

While you work in your RACGP-approved practice, the following definitions will apply:

Full-time general practice experience is defined as at least 38 hours distributed over a minimum of four days per week. 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 less than four calendar weeks in any one practice won't be considered. Hours worked beyond this full-time definition won't be considered.

► A participant working full time is defined as 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE).

Part-time general practice experience is defined as at least 14.5 hours distributed over a minimum of two days per week, of which at least 10.5 hours is face-to-face, rostered, patient consultation time, undertaking general practice activities. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or less than four calendar weeks in any one practice won't be considered.

► A part-time participant’s FTE status is calculated by dividing the participant’s scheduled weekly hours by the number of hours for an official weekly full-time load, eg a participant working 19 hours per week is 0.5 FTE (= 19 ÷ 38).

The program time cap, or program maximum timeframe, is a requirement set by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) in their Standards: Specialist medical college assessment of specialist international medical graduates. It refers to the maximum amount of time you can remain on the program from the day you start work in your approved practice in Australia to the day you're admitted to FRACGP.

• If you’re working in your practice on a full-time basis, your time cap is two calendar years (24 calendar months).

• If you’re working in your practice on a part-time basis, your time cap is four calendar years (48 calendar months) pro rata (calculated proportionally to your FTE status). The lower the hours worked per week, the longer your maximum timeframe will be, up to a limit of 48 calendar months. 

The following table is for example purposes only. Your exact program time cap will be communicated to you when you start PEP SP.

The training program is six calendar months. It commences on the day you start work in your approved practice in Australia using your RACGP-authorised Medicare provider number. You must complete the program’s educational activities and workplace-based assessments (WBAs) in this time. This applies to both full-time and part-time participants. 

 

Once you’ve completed the training program, you can sit the Fellowship exams, ie the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), the Key Feature Problem (KFP), and the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE). The three-year period during which you can enrol and sit the Fellowship exams is referred to as your candidacy.

You must attempt and pass the Fellowship exams during this time. A candidacy is typically made up of six exam semesters and starts in the semester in which you enrol in and sit your first Fellowship exam. All three Fellowship exams are delivered in each exam semester. 

If you reach the program time cap prior to passing all Fellowship Exams, you’ll have to exit PEP SP and will be unable to sit any remaining Fellowship exams.