Currently, applicants wishing to undertake exams on the GPE Pathway are required to have four years’ full time or equivalent experience in general practice in the last ten years, of which on year must have been completed in the last four years, and one year in Australian general practice, of which six months must be in comprehensive Australian general practice.
As from 1 December 2018, the new requirements will be:
Four years’ full time (or part time equivalent) in general practice over the last ten years which must include:
- One year’s full time equivalent completed in the last four years; and
- One year in Australian general practice. Of this at least six months’ full time equivalent must be in comprehensive Australian general practice undertaken in the last four years.
*experience undertaken more than ten years ago is not considered as part of the general practice experience assessment.
|
This change has been made due to the importance of maintaining recent, relevant general practice experience in a constantly changing and evolving field. Experience undertaken more than ten years ago is not considered to meet this threshold due to the nature of skills and knowledge atrophy.
Further, it is considered that recency of comprehensive Australian general practice is highly beneficial to candidates undertaking Fellowship exams.
The RACGP also wishes to clarify that experience older than ten years will not be taken into consideration when assessing general practice experience, as per the policy.
|
Valid existing GPE assessment outcomes will not be reassessed. Outcomes will remain valid, allowing candidates to enrol in exams, for the usual period of three years from the date of the outcome letter.
Complete applications submitted before 30 November 2018 will be assessed under the old policy.
From 1 December 2018, new assessments will be assessed under the new policy. This includes initial assessments, resubmitted assessments that have expired, and top-up assessments. It will not be applied retrospectively to already completed valid outcomes.
|