I want to apply for the PEP

The PEP Standard Stream is a self-directed education program designed to support non–vocationally registered (non-VR) doctors on their journey to RACGP Fellowship.

The PEP aims to provide targeted educational support for non-VR doctors (mostly international medical graduates [IMGs]) to help them deliver quality general practice care to their patients.

From January 2022, it will be compulsory that all RACGP Fellowship exam candidates complete either the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program or the PEP in order to be eligible to obtain Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP).

Extraordinary exception: GPE Pathway candidates affected by the 2020.2 AKT and KFP cancellations* will have a six month extension, and will not be required to complete an RACGP-approved program before continuing to sit the Fellowship exams until 1 July 2022 (2022.2 semester).

For further information, please contact educationpolicy@racgp.org.au.

*affected candidates are those who had a valid enrolment in the 2020.2 AKT and/or KFP as of 9am AEDT Friday 9 October 2020.

The PEP is an RACGP initiative that will be delivered in partnership with training organisations.

You can refer to About the PEP for specific details. Participants commencing the Practice Experience Program (PEP) in 2020 and onwards will need to undertake the PEP Entry Assessment (PEPEA).

Please note that there is only one more application period remaining under the current government funding scheme. Don't delay your application.

You can refer to the AGPT Program extension to transition to the PEP - Guidance document for training organisations.

The PEP is designed for Doctors working in Australian Modified Monash Model (MMM) areas 2 to 7.

PEP applicants must have a job, or job offer delivering general practice services within those areas.

The Modified Monash Model is a new classification system that better categorises metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to both geographical remoteness and town size. The system was developed to recognise the challenges in attracting health workers to more remote and smaller communities. You can find the classification of your location by using the Modified Monash Model locator.

You can find out the requirements to be able to access an RACGP Fellowship Program Provider Number, which relates to MMM location, in the General Practice Fellowship Program Placement Guidelines – Third edition.

Yes. The PEP is an Australian Government-supported program funded under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy. Please note, you will need to meet eligibility requirements to be considered for the program, although meeting these requirements does not guarantee you a place in the PEP.

Yes. The PEP is an Australian Government-supported program funded under the Stronger Rural Health Program. Please note, you will need to meet eligibility requirements to be considered for the program, although meeting these requirements does not guarantee you a place in the PEP.

No. But please note, you will need to meet eligibility requirements to be considered for the PEP, although meeting these requirements does not guarantee you a place in the program.

Yes, however you are required to complete the same program requirements as a participant working full-time on the PEP. Part-time general practice must comprise a 14.5-hour minimum working week, over a minimum of two days per week, of which a minimum of 10.5 hours must be in face-to-face, rostered, patient consultation time undertaking general practice activities. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or of less than one month in any one practice, will not be considered.

Your PEP duration is determined by one or more factor/s. These are:

• information from a valid general practice experience (GPE) assessment (submitted at the time of your PEP application), OR
• if a valid GPE assessment is not available, then GP experience is calculated using a CV (taking into consideration 3 years of recency) (submitted at the time of your PEP application), OR
• if you are an ex-Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) registrar (noted at the time of your PEP application), OR
• if your PEP Entry Assessment (PEPEA) band is P1 or P2, then an additional 6 months is added to the program length.

It is also determined by the Australian Government’s funding for the program.

Refer to the PEP Standard Stream fees and charges webpage for more information.

The PEP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health’s Stronger Rural Health Strategy and has been designed to support non–vocationally registered (non-VR) doctors on their journey to RACGP Fellowship. Funding is currently not available to VR doctors however we are hoping to open places and we will update this page as soon as it becomes available. 

Yes. All applicants and participants must:

• appear on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Register of Practitioners as a medical practitioner by the date of commencement of the first term of PEP
• hold registration under the general, limited or provisional registration categories with AHPRA
• hold current Australian medical registration and have promptly disclosed all details of any past or present:
  1. Restrictions, conditions, suspensions and/or undertakings on their medical registration; and
  2. regulatory authority activity, whether in Australia or otherwise, that:
     1. has led or may lead to a restriction, condition, suspension and/or undertaking on medical registration; or
     2. has led to an adverse finding for the medical practitioner, or forms part of an ongoing investigation.
  Candidates must disclose changes to their medical registration via email to education@racgp.org.au.

No. Doctors on limited area of need or provisional categories of medical registration may be eligible for the program, as long as practice location requirements are met so they can access a Medicare provider number under the PEP.

Yes. You will carry any exam pass results with you into the PEP, in line with clause 6.1 of the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy. Existing pass results obtained before 2019.1 remain valid in accordance with the exam candidate handbook that was in place at the time of the first pass – usually three years.

If you enter the PEP, exam expiry will be frozen for the duration of your program; you will then have the remainder of the three years after you complete your program to pass any remaining exam segments.

If you have no passes before entering the PEP, you will have three years from the point of becoming eligible to pass all three segments, in line with clause 6.1 of the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy.

Please note, you are not able to enrol in any exams until you have completed your program time satisfactorily.

Yes. Provided you meet the program eligibility requirements, holding exam passes does not affect whether you can enter the PEP.

All candidates who already hold exam pass results will retain these upon entering the PEP Standard Stream. Exam passes obtained after 2019.1 are valid until the end of your candidacy which will be extended for the duration of your time on the PEP. 

Exam passes obtained before 2019.1 typically expire after three years, in accordance with the candidate handbook in place at the time of the exam. These passes will automatically be extended for the duration of your time on the PEP. For example, if your exam pass is due to expire on 30 June 2020 and you enter the PEP on 1 January 2020 for a 12 month program, your pass will be extended 12 months.

Refer to the Fellowship Exam Attempts policy for more information