Training Transfer Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the principles and requirements for transfer between Training Regions, Training Programs, Training Streams and General Practice Colleges.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to:

1. 1. Registrars enrolled in the:

      1. Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program

      2. Fellowship Support Program (FSP)

      3. Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

   2. medical practitioners looking to transfer to an RACGP Training Program

2.2 This policy does not apply to:

1. 1. Australian Defence Force (ADF) registrar transfers for the purposes of ADF training. These are managed by the RACGP ADF Team per the ADF Guide.

   2. AGPT hospital year terms and extended skills hospital terms.

2.3 This policy is to be read in conjunction with the relevant registrar handbooks. If there is any inconsistency between this policy and the relevant handbook, this policy takes precedence.

3. General principles

3.1 The RACGP recognises that circumstances may arise that require Registrars to transfer between Training Regions, Training Streams, Training Programs (including RVTS) and General Practice Colleges.

3.2 A transfer must not compromise the Registrar’s training and workforce obligations.

3.3 All decisions related to a transfer between General Practice College AGPT programs or the RVTS program are made at the discretion of the relevant General Practice College’s Censor.

3.4 All requests for transfer into or within RACGP programs are at the discretion of the RACGP.

3.5 Transfers between the rural to general streams may be temporary or permanent, at the discretion of the RACGP.

3.6 Transfers between Training Regions may be temporary or permanent, at the discretion of the RACGP.

3.7 All decisions related to RPLE (Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience) for transfers between Training Programs are at the discretion of the relevant Censor.

4. Request for transfer

4.1 Registrars can request to transfer between:

1. 1. Training Regions (AGPT Program only)

   2. Training Streams (AGPT Program only), including the rural and general streams

   3. Training Programs, including RVTS

   4. AGPT programs with other General Practice Colleges

4.2 Depending on the type of transfer, the RACGP will assess and approve a transfer, where appropriate, for either the remaining balance of training (permanent) or for a specified period (temporary).

4.3 The RACGP will provide the outcome of a request for transfer within 20 Business Days of receipt of a complete application.

4.4 For the AGPT Program, the RACGP will not assess requests from Registrars seeking to transfer within the first 26 weeks after Commencement of Training unless the Registrar is requesting to work in an area of need, per the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

5. Types of transfer

5.1 Transfer between Training Regions (AGPT Program only)

1. 1. Registrars may only apply for a transfer between Training Regions if:

      1. the Registrar has an identified career and/or Education and Training Requirement (eg remediation term), approved by the RACGP, and all options to undertake appropriate training within their Training Region have been exhausted,

      2. the Registrar or a Significant Family Relation has Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances,

      3. the Training Region is unable to match the Registrar to an appropriate Training Site,

      4. the Registrar is requesting a transfer to work in an area of need, or

      5. to support the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Registrars.

5.2 Transfer between Training Streams (AGPT Program only)

1. 1. General to rural stream

      1. Registrars training with the general stream of the AGPT Program do not need to apply for a transfer to train in a Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2–7 location.

   2. Rural to general stream

      1. Registrars training with the rural stream are required to undertake their training in Training Sites in MM 2–7 locations.

      2. Where Registrars are assessed by the RACGP as needing to undertake extended skills training, core emergency medicine training, additional rural skills training or a remediation term in an RACGP-approved post that is not available in an MM 2–7 location, the RACGP can approve temporary training in an MM 1 location without the need to transfer from the rural to the general stream.

         1. Registrars training with the rural stream are expected to return to MM 2–7 placements following completion of the training term.

      3. Registrars training with the rural stream can apply to the RACGP for a transfer to the general stream if: 

         1. they have an identified career and/or Education and Training Requirement approved by the RACGP, and all options to undertake appropriate training in an MM 2–7 location within their Training Region have been exhausted, or

         2. they, or a Significant Family Relation, have Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances, that cannot be adequately or safely managed in the rural location or in another rural location.

5.3 Transfers between or into RACGP Training Programs, including from RVTS

1. 1. All Registrars must meet the eligibility and selection requirements of the RACGP Training Program they intend to transfer into, as determined by the RACGP.

   2. Registrars may receive RPLE credit, per the Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy. 

      1. If the Registrar has commenced their Fellowship exam Candidacy before the transfer, the RACGP will pause their Candidacy until they have been determined eligible to sit the exams under the new Training Program’s exam eligibility requirements.

      2. Transferring between Training Programs does not reset the Registrar’s Candidacy.

   3. Transfers between Training Programs are permanent.

5.4 Transfers from RACGP Training Programs into RVTS

1. 1. If accepted, the Registrar must withdraw from their current program before the Commencement of Training in their new program and follow the relevant General Practice College’s pathway to Fellowship

   2. Transfers into RVTS need to meet the requirements outlined in RVTS policies.

5.5 Transfers between General Practice College AGPT Programs

1. 1. Registrars may apply to transfer between the RACGP and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) for AGPT.

      1. Registrars may receive RPLE credit, per the RACGP’s Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy or ACRRM’s Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

      2. If accepted, the Registrar must withdraw from their current program before the Commencement of Training in their new program and follow the relevant General Practice College’s pathway to Fellowship.

      3. Registrars who transfer to the other General Practice College’s AGPT program do not gain any additional vocational training time.

6. Amendment to 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 

7.1 Censor-in-Chief	Approving minor amendments Approving moderate amendments Approving consequential amendments
7.2 RACGP Board	Approving major amendments
7.3 RACGP	Providing the outcome of a request for transfer to the registrar within 20 business days
7.4 Registrar	Submitting applications for transfers to the RACGP on the correct form, including all relevant supporting documentation Ensuring that the transfer application form is completed in full and signed Responding to requests for additional information from the RACGP

 

8. Glossary

8.1 Business Day	A day when the RACGP national office is operating.
8.2 Candidacy	The three-year period, separate to training program time, during which a registrar can attempt Fellowship exams.
8.3 Commencement of Training	The first day on which the registrar begins their RACGP-approved program.
8.4 Consequential Amendment	An amendment which 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 Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances	Circumstances which are outside the registrar’s control and can reasonably be considered to be unforeseen, and can be shown to have a direct and significant impact on the registrar. The RACGP considers extenuating and unforeseen circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
8.7 Fellowship	Admittance to either: Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP), or FRACGP and Rural Generalist Fellowship(FRACGP-RG).
8.8 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).
8.9 General Practice College	Either the: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), or Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
8.10 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).
8.11 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.
8.12 Moderate Amendments	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).
8.13 Modified Monash Model (MMM)	The Modified Monash Model is a classification system that categories metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to both geographic remoteness and town size. The MM classification for any given area can be found by using the locator tool on the Health Workforce Locator.
8.14 RACGP ADF Team	The RACGP Australian Defence Force (ADF) team provides tailored support to ADF registrars in the AGPT Program.
8.15 Registrar	A medical practitioner enrolled in the: Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program, Fellowship Support Program (FSP), or  Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS).
8.16 Significant Family Relation	Anyone with whom the registrar has close familial relations. This may include, but is not limited to, a parent, sibling, spouse/partner/de facto/fiancé(e), child, grandparent and community member.
8.17 Training Program	Either the: Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program, or Fellowship Support Program (FSP). For the purposes of this policy, Training Program also includes the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS).
8.18 Training Region	An area in which the RACGP delivers general practice training as defined by the relevant training program.
8.19 Training Site	A health service accredited by the RACGP where the registrar may undertake their general practice training.
8.20 Training Stream	Subdivision/pathways of the AGPT Program. These are: the general stream, and the rural stream.

9. Related documents, legislation and policies

• ACRRM Recognition of Prior Learning Policy
• AGPT Registrar Training Handbook
• Department of Health, Disability and Ageing health workforce classifications
• Dispute, Reconsideration and Appeals Policy
• FSP Registrar Handbook
• Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy
• Registrar Support and Educational Interventions Policy

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.