Clinical supervision
Supervision during general practice training
General practice training in Australia follows an apprenticeship model. You'll work as a GP, seeing your own patients under the supervision of an experienced GP.
Clinical experience is a powerful teacher, and your learning will be supplemented and consolidated with in-practice teaching (both formal and informal), teaching visits and small-group education from MEs, assessments, and private study.
Your supervisor provides clinical guidance and support during your program. They are also responsible for in-practice teaching and contributing to the assessment of your clinical competence.
one hour
each day
First two weeks of FSP
one hour
per fortnight
FSP Year 1
one hour
per month
FSP Year 2
The level of supervision provided by your supervisor and supervision team changes as you progress through your training and become more competent. Please note that RACGP requirements are in addition to any Ahpra requirements on your supervision.
The RACGP requires the supervision described below as a minimum regardless of your supervision status with Ahpra:
- At the commencement of GPT1 you must practice under 'direct supervision' of an accredited supervisor until your supervisor decides that this is no longer required. The EASL helps inform this decision. Direct supervision is the term used to describe a supervisor having oversight of every consultation. This is achieved by your supervisor:
- observing your consultation, or
- reviewing the patient with you before the patient leaves, or
- reviewing the consultation notes and, where relevant, discussing the case with you at the end of the session or the following day.
- GPT1 and GPT2: You are competent to practice safely without review of every case but still require close monitoring. A clinical supervision plan is in place that describes who is to be contacted and when and how that contact is expected to occur. Your supervisor is available to attend your consultations as required.
- GPT3 and GPT4: You are competent to practice with a high degree of self-sufficiency but still require access to supervisor support and a clinical supervision plan. Your supervisor is available to attend in-person as required.
When you are working in the training site but your supervisor is not physically present, there must be an agreed system in place where your supervsor or an appropriate delegate can be contacted for prompt clinical consultation.