Fellowship Exams Special Arrangements Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the principles and requirements for the granting of Special Arrangements for RACGP Fellowship Exams.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to:

1. 1. all medical practitioners who are enrolled in a Fellowship Exam and applying for Special Arrangements (Applicant).

2.2 This policy is to be read in conjunction with the:

1. 1. Fellowship examinations handbook and

   2. relevant registrar handbooks.

      1. If there is any inconsistency between this policy and the relevant handbook, the terms of this policy take precedence.

3. General principles

3.1 The RACGP aims to ensure equity throughout the educational Fellowship Exam processes.

3.2 The purpose of granting Special Arrangements is to accommodate the medical practitioner who is likely to be disadvantaged in a Fellowship Exam by a circumstance which is:

1. 1. beyond their control, and

   2. objectively likely to have an adverse impact on their performance in the Fellowship Exams.

4. Applying for Special Arrangements

4.1 The circumstances which may require Special Arrangements are:

1. 1. permanent and longstanding impairment,

   2. temporary impairment that will affect the Applicant at the time of the exam, or

   3. essential religious observance.

4.2 Applicants must complete and submit the Special arrangements application form during the Fellowship Exam enrolment period and no later than the enrolment closing date.

4.3 Late applications will not be accepted, except at the RACGP’s discretion.

5. Granting of Special Arrangements

5.1 Special Arrangements are only granted in Extenuating Circumstances as assessed by the RACGP.

5.2 Special Arrangements apply to exam delivery only.

1. 1. Special Arrangements do not extend to the management or review of results, and cannot affect a Fellowship Exam outcome once the exam has been completed.

5.3 Application outcomes are at the RACGP’s discretion.

1. 1. An application for Special Arrangements may be granted, partially granted, or denied.

   2. If an application is partially granted, alternative arrangements may be offered by the RACGP, as appropriate.

   3. Where needed, the RACGP will consult with the Applicant to determine Special Arrangements suited to their circumstances.

   4. The RACGP may deny the application if:

      1. the application is incomplete,

      2. the application is not submitted by the prescribed deadline,

      3. the application is not supported by appropriate evidence,

      4. the application has not been submitted in a reasonable timeframe to allow the RACGP to make the appropriate arrangements,

      5. the Applicant does not respond in the specified timeframe to requests from the RACGP for additional information,

      6. the application cannot reasonably be accommodated by the RACGP, and/or

      7. the application does not comply with this policy.

5.4 The RACGP will notify the Applicant in writing of the outcome of their Special Arrangements application within 20 Business Days of receiving a complete application.

6. Amendment of this policy

The Censor-in-Chief (CiC) may, without the consent of the RACGP Board, make minor, moderate and consequential amendments to this policy at any time. The Education & Training Policy Lead can make editorial amendments (no approval required by the Censor-in-Chief).

If the CiC makes amendments, they must advise the RACGP Board of those amendments as soon as practicable.

The RACGP Board may make amendments to this policy at any time.

6.1 Major amendment	An amendment that materially changes the policy’s scope, intent, or application, including overhauling key sections, redefining the policy’s purpose, or fundamentally reallocating responsibilities.
6.2 Moderate amendment	An amendment that makes a targeted change to one or more policy clauses, modifying applicable requirements or assigned responsibilities, with a limited and contained effect on the policy’s overall scope, intent, or application.
6.3 Minor amendment	An amendment that makes deliberate improvements to policy content, such as clarifying ambiguous language, updating outdated references, terminology or contact details, or restructuring content, without altering the policy’s scope, intent, or application.
6.4 Consequential amendment	An amendment made to ensure alignment with a change introduced in another policy. It is not initiated independently but is a direct consequence of an approved change in another policy.
6.5 Editorial amendment	An amendment made solely to correct typographical, grammatical, or formatting errors, without altering the policy’s scope, intent, or application.

7. Responsibilities

7.1 Applicant	Applying for Special Arrangements within the stipulated timelines Submitting appropriate forms and evidence with any application
7.2 Censor-in-Chief	Approving minor amendments Approving moderate amendments Approving consequential amendments
7.3 RACGP	Administering Special Arrangement Application Coordinating Special Arrangements for Fellowship Exams Providing the outcome of the application to the Applicant within 20 Business Days
7.4 RACGP Board	Approving major amendments

8. Glossary

8.1 Applicant	The medical practitioner enrolled in a RACGP Fellowship Exam and applying for Special Arrangements.
8.2 Candidate	The medical practitioner eligible to sit RACGP Fellowship Exams.
8.3 Business Day	A day when the RACGP national office is operating.
8.4 Extenuating Circumstances	Circumstances the RACGP considers on a case-by-case basis, which are outside the Candidate’s control and which can be shown to have a direct and significant impact on the Candidate’s ability to sit an assessment and/or their performance in an assessment.
8.5 Fellowship Exams	The exams run by the RACGP to assess the candidate’s competency for unsupervised general practice anywhere in Australia, including: Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), Key Feature Problem (KFP), and Clinical Competency Exam (CCE).
8.6 Special Arrangements	Any reasonable adjustments made to a Fellowship Exam where the RACGP considers the standard arrangements will put the Applicant at a disadvantage.

9. Related documents, legislation and policies

• AGPT registrar training handbook

• Dispute, Reconsideration and Appeals Policy

• Fellowship examinations handbook

• FSP registrar handbook

10. Policy review and currency

This policy will be reviewed every three calendar 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.