Why choose the RACGP’s AGPT Program?

The AGPT Program is the premier program for doctors wishing to pursue the speciality of general practice. From 2023, the RACGP will assume direct responsibility for delivering the AGPT Program under a profession-led, community-based model. This will bring the general practice training into line with other medical specialist training programs across the nation.

We are the voice of general practitioners in our growing cities and throughout rural and remote Australia. Choosing to train with the RACGP on the AGPT Program will give you access to the country’s largest GP community across urban, rural and remote Australia, as well as a lifetime of support and resources.

As a registrar with the RACGP, you will join a community of more than 23,000 GPs who have completed their general practice training with the RACGP.

For more than 60 years, we’ve set the standards for general practice, supported the backbone of Australia’s healthcare system, and advocated for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

Our network of national and state faculties unite our members, allowing you to collaborate with colleagues across the country on shared interests and causes. Six state faculties provide on the ground support for members in their local area, while four national faculties (RACGP Rural, RACGP Specific Interests, RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and RACGP GPs in Training) support and give a voice to GPs at various points in their career.

With a national presence and unrivalled network of accredited training practices, RACGP’s GPs in training have more choice when it comes to choosing where to establish their career. Find out more about the RACGP

What are the important dates?

What’s covered in the training?

The core skills that form the centrepiece of the curriculum for the AGPT Program collectively define the skills and the unique nature of Australia’s GP. These skills are broken down into five domains across the context of general practice and cover:

1. Communication and patient-doctor relationship
2. Applied professional knowledge and skills
3. Population health and the context of general practice
4. Professional and ethical role
5. Organisational and legal dimension

You can learn more about the five domains of general practice and core skills in the Curriculum for Australian General Practice 2016

How long is the training?

The length of your training is three years, although an additional year of training time is added on if you opt into Rural Generalist (RG) training and the Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP). You may also be able to reduce your time on the training program if you have any recognised prior learning (RPL) that can be used towards your training – please see the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy for more information. You also have the option of completing your training part-time, which would increase the time it takes to complete your Fellowship.

Your GP training journey might vary to that of another GP in training, but a typical training plan could look like this:

• First year: Your first year on the program is spent working and learning in a hospital setting and includes clinical rotations relevant to general practice.
• Second and third years: This period consists of three six-month general practice terms working in a clinic and seeing patients. The on-site training is complemented by structured study modules that are led by your local training region. The final six months is an extended skills term that you can complete in a range of RACGP-accredited settings. You have many options for extended skills training, including in palliative care, sports medicine, sexual health and skin cancer medicine.
• Fourth year (optional): If you choose to add a fourth year to train towards the FARGP or RG training, you’ll complete additional rural skills training (ARST) for that entire year. Anyone on the general or rural pathway can opt in to do the FARGP before or during training.

There is a limit on how long you can take to complete your training, dependent on your pathway, but in some cases you can apply for an extension.

How is GP training delivered?

GP training is based on an apprenticeship model where you learn from your local and regional RACGP medical educators as well as in supervised clinical roles in a combination of hospital and community settings.

We will facilitate workshops (virtual or in-person as current health advice allows), provide online learning modules, practice exam materials or mock exams, and one on one support from an appointed training advisor.

Practice allocation

If you are offered an AGPT Program training position, RACGP regional team will work with you to help you find a practice within your training region that suits your training needs. We work with a network of health services, GP clinics and hospitals who will play host your training posts.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and workforce equity

Culturally safe practice is determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities. It’s defined as the delivery of safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism through ongoing critical reflection about knowledge, skills and attitudes, practising behaviours, and power differentials.

All registrars in the AGPT Program complete specific training in these areas as essential building blocks in providing culturally safe healthcare across Australia.

The RACGP also provides dedicated support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors applying for the AGPT Program and registrars working towards Fellowship.

Find out more through our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Faculty.

Adding to your toolkit

General practice encourages you to pursue your special interests and expand your scope of practice. You can further develop clinical or procedural skills in disciplines such as emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, dermatology or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, both during and after your training.

RACGP Specific Interests brings together like-minded members across 31 specific areas of medicine in the context of general practice. You can connect with colleagues from across Australia who share interests in areas such as aged care, military medicine, eHealth and sport and exercise medicine. Find out more about RACGP Specific Interests.

When you apply for the AGPT Program, you can nominate up to four regions where you’d like to carry out your training. Not only do you choose whether you want to pursue the general or rural pathway, but also which region you’d like to live and work in.

The RACGP offers training places all over the country, across both the general and rural pathways. These places are determined by the Department of Health and are spread across the 11 regions in the map below.

Training place distribution for the 2023 AGPT Program

We’ll release the training place distributions for 2023 as soon as possible.

Contact details for each training region

Successful applicants to the AGPT Program will train in one training region on either the general or rural pathway. For detailed information about a specific training region, please contact the relevant training organisation for your preferred training region.

Rural or General Pathway?

Both the general and rural pathways lead to attaining Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP). However, the training context differs significantly. This influences how you utilise your skillset as a GP in training on your journey to Fellowship.

The AGPT Program has requirements for where registrars may work according to their training pathway choice. General pathway registrars may work in any general practice location, including rural and remote. Rural pathway registrars are required to work in rural and remote general practice placements. Therefore, both pathways provide the opportunity to develop additional relevant rural skills by undertaking the Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP).

Training to become a rural or remote GP offers more variety, flexibility and lifestyle options than any other medical specialty. It’s where you can have real impact; where it’s needed most. Training places are available all over Australia – from towns on the fringes of capital cities, to regional coastal areas and remote outback locations. Living and working in a rural community will provide you with opportunities to realise your full potential as a GP.

Read the Advanced rural training FAQs for more information.

Benefits of choosing the rural pathway with the RACGP

• Access additional skills training such as mental health, adult internal medicine, paediatrics, anaesthetics, surgery and obstetrics.
• Gain a greater depth and breadth of experience working more closely with rural communities.
• Experience both hospital and community-based primary care.
• Play a part in addressing the health needs of communities with lower access to health care.
• Access mentors and professional relationships which may not be possible in metropolitan areas.
• Increase your earning capacity – some placements offer financial incentives not available in metropolitan locations.
• Enjoy lifestyle benefits of country living and being immersed in local communities.
• Connect with likeminded colleagues through national faculties including RACGP GPs in Training, RACGP Rural and RACGP Specific Interests.

Enhancing your Rural Skills

You can pursue additional qualifications with the RACGP while working towards your Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP). These can reflect your interests, goals, broadening your horizons and expanding your practice:

Fellowship of Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP)

Choosing to take on FARGP will add on an extra year in the form of additional rural skills training. This training provides the opportunity to learn about the specific health needs of rural and remote communities, and develop procedural/non-procedural skills to meet those needs. It is available to doctors on both the general and rural pathway.

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Rural Generalism (RG)

The AGPT RG program trains GPs to deliver comprehensive general practice and emergency care, as well as components of other medical specialist care in hospital and community settings. You are required to complete additional emergency medicine skills training, though this can be undertaken during your FRACGP training time through an extended skills post. You can opt in to the AGPT Rural Generalist Policy (AGPT RG) at any stage of your training. You can also opt out of rural generalist training if your situation changes down the track and continue your AGPT training on the rural pathway without disruption. This allows you the time to understand whether RG is best suited to you and the needs of your community. Find out more about RG.

Am I even eligible?

Before you start the AGPT application process, it’s worthwhile checking that you satisfy all the eligibility criteria required to be considered for a place on the program.

You can refer to page 19 and 20 of the AGPT Application Handbook to help determine your eligibility.

When can I apply?

You can apply for the AGPT Program any time from your intern year onwards.

Applications for the 2023 AGPT first intake open at 10.00 am (AEDT) on Monday 21 March 2022 and close at 11.59 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 19 April 2022.

Outside of this application period, you are welcome to fill out an expression of interest form to stay in touch with any news and developments around the RACGP’s delivery of the AGPT Program.

Application and selection process

Application resources

AGPT Rural Generalist Policy – Guidance
A guidance document for opting in or out of training under the RG Policy in the AGPT Program.
Guidance(PDF 511 KB)

AGPT Rural Generalist policy
The purpose of this Policy is to provide guidance for registrars seeking to train as Rural Generalists through the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program
Policy (PDF 57 KB)

Guidelines for applicants with Conditions and/or Undertakings
These guidelines have been developed to assist applicants with conditions and/or undertakings on their General Medical Registration.
Factsheet (PDF 260 KB)

RACGP Selection Policy
The purpose of this policy is to define the requirements for selection into the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program.
Policy

Temporary visa holder factsheet
This factsheet has been developed to inform Foreign Graduates of an Accredited Medical School (FGAMS), who reside on either the 482, 485, 457, 492 or 494 visa subclasses, of their eligibility to apply for the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program.
Factsheet (PDF 121 KB)

Statutory declaration – temporary visa holder
This statutory declaration is for applicants who are FGAMS on a Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) 482, 485, 457, 494 or 491 visa subclass who need to declare General registration and permanent residency status as required
Statutory declaration(PDF 90 KB)

Statutory declaration – other training program
This statutory declaration is to be used for applicants who are currently enrolled in another specialist vocational training program leading to vocational recognition as a General Practitioner. Completion and submission of this form indicates that you acknowledge that you are required to withdraw prior to commencement of training in the AGPT program (if successful in gaining an AGPT training position).
Statutory declaration (PDF 93 KB)

Statutory declaration – name change
This statutory declaration is to be used for applicants who have differing names on their supporting documentation as part of their AGPT eligibility application.
Statutory declaration (PDF 94 KB)

Authorised representative form
Applicants who wish to authorise another representative (person or organisation) to enquire on their behalf in regards to their AGPT application.
Form (PDF 166 KB)

Reassurance during the selection process

National assessment

The Candidate Assessment & Applied Knowledge Test (CAAKT) is usually delivered in major cities around Australia by our delivery partners, Pearson VUE. We will adhere to all public health guidance in each individual state.

We will continue to monitor the risks and uncertainty posed by COVID-19 carefully when considering the delivery of the CAAKT. We will provide information to eligible candidates as soon as it is available with regards to additional considerations given the ever-evolving situation.