Requirements for Fellowship Policy


Policy

Page last updated 29 January 2024

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the principles and requirements for Registrars to be admitted to Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) or the RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship (FRACGP-RG).

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to:

    1. Registrars enrolled in the:

      1. Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program,

      2. Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS), and

      3. Fellowship Support Program (FSP),

    1. general practitioners (GPs) training towards RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship, and

    2. RACGP Staff.

2.2 This policy is to be read in conjunction with the relevant Registrar handbooks and staff training manuals. The Progressive capability profile of the general practitioner is also relevant to this policy.

2.3 This policy replaces the previous Vocational Training Pathway – Requirements for Fellowship Policy and will come into effect on the first day of the first term of the Training Program or RVTS in 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that there is any inconsistency between the previous policy and this policy, the terms of this policy apply.

3. General principles

The principles by which the RACGP admits Registrars to Fellowship are:

3.1 ensuring Fellows are competent for unsupervised Comprehensive Australian General Practice,

3.2 upholding public health and safety, and

3.3 maintaining the good reputation of the general practice profession.

4. Requirements for Fellowship

4.1 Training Program Requirements

    1. Registrars must meet all Training Program Requirements of their Training Program or the RVTS as detailed in the relevant Registrar handbook current at the time of accepting the offer of a training position.

    2. Registrars and GPs training towards the Rural Generalist Fellowship must meet the requirements detailed in the relevant curricula.

4.2 Assessment requirements

Registrars must pass the Fellowship Exams as per the Fellowship Exams Policy.

4.3 Professional and ethical requirements

The RACGP reserves the right to withhold admission of Fellowship if the RACGP reasonably considers the Registrar or GP:

      1. engaged in conduct that would attract sanctions as per clause 27 of the RACGP Constitution,

      2. is unsuitable to be admitted to Fellowship of the RACGP in accordance with the Fellowship Policy, or

      3. has Addenda on their current AHPRA Medical Registration that prevent them from undertaking unsupervised Comprehensive Australian General Practice.

4.4 Administrative requirements

Registrars must:

      1. hold current Australian medical registration at all times while on the Training Program or RVTS. Registrars must promptly disclose any:

        1. Addenda on their AHPRA Medical Registration, and

        2. regulatory authority activity, whether in Australia or otherwise, that:

          1. has led or may lead to Addenda on their AHPRA Medical Registration, or

          2. has led to an adverse finding for the Registrar, or forms part of an ongoing investigation

          3. any other Notifiable Conduct.

        The RACGP will manage a failure to disclose the information listed in 4.4.i as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.

      1. be a Financial RACGP Member from the time of joining their Training Program or the RVTS and throughout their Program Time, and 

      2. apply for Fellowship within three calendar years of successfully completing all Fellowship Exams or within one calendar year of completing all Training Program Requirements (whichever is the lesser).

5. Admission to Fellowship

5.1 The decision to admit the Registrar or GP to Fellowship is held by the Censor-in-Chief (CiC) under delegation from the RACGP Board.

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. 

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.

7. Responsibilities

7.2 Censor-in-Chief

  1. Ratifying the admission to Fellowship under delegation from the RACGP Board
  2. Approving Minor Amendments
  3.  Approving Moderate Amendments
  4. Approving Consequential Amendments

7.1 RACGP Board

  1. Admitting Registrars who have met all requirements as stipulated in this policy to Fellowship
  2. Approving Major Amendments

7.3 Registrars

  1. Ensuring they meet the requirements of this policy to apply for Fellowship
  2. Promptly disclosing any addenda to their medical registration

 

8. Glossary

8.1 Addenda

Includes, but is not limited to, restrictions, conditions, limitations, reprimands, supervision requirements, tribunal outcomes, suspensions, undertakings and/or any other remarks or changes on a Registrar’s medical registration.

Refer to AHPRA’s website for more information.

8.2 AHPRA Medical Registration

Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which allows the registrant to practise medicine.

Refer to AHPRA’s website for more information.

8.3 Comprehensive Australian General Practice

As defined in the Comprehensive Australian general practice guide.

8.4 Consequential Amendment

An amendment that requires urgent implementation as a necessary result of an amendment to another policy or process.

8.5 Education and Training Requirements

The mandatory components of the Registrar’s RACGP-Approved Program as defined in the relevant Registrar handbook.

8.6 Fellowship

Admittance to either:
  1. Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP), or
  2. FRACGP and Rural Generalist Fellowship (FRACGP-RG).

8.7 Fellowship Exams

The exams run by the RACGP to assess the Candidate’s competency for unsupervised general practice anywhere in Australia, including:

  1. Applied Knowledge Test (AKT),
  2. Key Feature Problem (KFP), and
  3. Clinical Examination, which depending on the time of sitting, is the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), Remote Clinical Exam (RCE) or Clinical Competency Exam (CCE).

8.8 Financial RACGP Member

An RACGP Member who has:

  1. met the membership category requirements,
  2.  had their complete membership application form accepted, and
  3. paid their current membership fee in full.

8.9 Major Amendment

An amendment that materially changes the operation of the policy but is not otherwise a Minor or Moderate Amendment (ie a change to one major clause or policy review).

8.10 Minor Amendment

An amendment to style, to correct grammatical mistakes, change overall formatting, make updates that do not materially change meaning, or any other amendment, which in the opinion of the Censor-in-Chief, does not materially alter the operation of the policy.

8.11 Moderate Amendment

An amendment that materially changes the operation of a policy by a limited amount (ie a change to one minor clause, or changes that have a limited impact on the outcome of the policy).

8.12 Notifiable Conduct

Notifiable conduct holds the same definition as the Medical Board of Australia’s Guidelines for mandatory notifications about registered health practitioners.

8.13 RACGP Staff

Anyone who is an employee or contractor of the RACGP.

8.14 Registrar

A medical practitioner enrolled in the:

  1. Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, 
  2. Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS), or
  3. Fellowship Support Program (FSP).

8.15 Training Program

Either the:

  1. Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, or
  2. Fellowship Support Program (FSP).


9. Related documents, legislation and policies

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.

 

 

Version

Date of effect

Amended by

2 10 November 2023 Education Policy and Guidance Lead
Amendment details
  • Update to policy and guide titles
  • Update to glossary terms

1

The start date of the first term of the Training Program in 2023

Education Policy and Guidance Lead

Amendment details

  • Removal of reconsideration and appeal section as this policy applies to all RACGP decisions unless specified otherwise
  • Removal of listing education and experience requirements as these are housed in the separate handbooks
  • Included requirements for Rural Generalist Fellowship
  • Linked with the Progressive capability profile of a GP
  • Updated administrative requirements to require application to Fellowship within one year of successful completion of all Fellowship Exams for FSP

Policy owner:

RACGP Board

Approved by:

RACGP Board

Approved on:

23/06/2022

Next review due:

06/2025

 

 

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