CPD Guide for GP Training

Education > CPD Home > Continuing professional development for GPs > 2023-25 Triennium

Last updated 6 September 2024

CPD Guide for GP Training

This guide is exclusive to the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) and Fellowship Support Program (FSP) Pathways’ Registrars. For Practice Experience Program (PEP) participants, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.

CPD requirements

The 2023 Medical Board of Australia (MBA) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Registration Standard sets out the minimum CPD requirements for registered medical practitioners. All registered medical practitioners from PGY3 onwards who are engaged in any form of practice are required to participate regularly in CPD that is relevant to their scope of practice.

The CPD requirements are outlined here and more information is available in the MBA FAQs.

Trainees (aka as Registrars) will meet the CPD requirements by participating in an accredited specialist training program and their accredited specialist medical college becomes their CPD Home by default. For the RACGP, this includes the AGPT and FSP specialist training programs and RACGP CPD Home becomes the trainees’ or registrars’ CPD Home.

CPD requirements while on leave from the GP training

Trainees or registrars on leave and not working as a doctor do not need to seek a CPD exemption for their period of leave whist enrolled in the training program.
Trainees or registrars on leave but who undertake work as a doctor outside the training program are personally responsible for meeting their MBA CPD requirements.

A CPD exemption or variation may be available depending on when a trainee or registrar started working as a doctor outside of the training program while on leave. For example, if a trainee or registrar is on an approved continuous leave for 6 months prior to working then we can grant a pro-rated CPD exemption or variation for that 6 months thereby reducing the required number of CPD hours the trainee or registrar must complete within a calendar year.

Deferment from the GP training

A trainee or registrar who defers training must meet the MBA CPD requirements. This means having a CPD Home and meeting the 50 hours of CPD according to the different CPD types including the program level requirements.

Fellowship

On achievement of Fellowship, a trainee or registrar will receive a confirmation letter outlining relevant CPD credits aligned with the RACGP New Fellows modified CPD program requirements.

Newly Fellowed GPs (FRACGP) will have modified CPD requirements for the year Fellowship is ratified. Fellows could be entitled to either full or partial ‘credit’ towards the MBA requirements. The RACGP will award 30 CPD hours credit for those who Fellow between January and June, allocated as 15 hours Educational Activities, 7.5 hours Reviewing Performance and 7.5hrs Measuring Outcomes. To meet the remainder of the MBA’s CPD requirements, they will need to complete:

professional development plan (PDP)
10 hours of any CPD activity type
10 hours of reviewing performance and/or measuring outcomes.

If the date of Fellowship is from July onwards, a ‘full credit’ for the remainder of the year will be granted.