General Practice Experience Pilot Pathway – Examination Eligibility

1. General Practice Experience Pilot Pathway – Examination Eligibility Policy

1.1 Policy number: CO-E-0011.0

1.2 Category: Education

1.3 Approval date: March 2016

1.4 Revision due date: March 2019

1.5 Unit responsible: Education Services

2. Policy declaration

Candidates on the General Practice Experience Pathway must meet the requirements detailed in this policy to be eligible to undertake the examinations.

This policy is authorised by the CEO.

3. Background

3.1 Objectives

This policy aims to describe the examination eligibility requirements for Candidates enrolled in the General Practice Experience Pathway.

3.2 Scope

This policy applies to candidates on the trial GPE Pathway which accepted applications between 18/04/2016 and 13/05/2016, with successful candidates commencing on 30/05/2016.

4. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

1. Candidate means a medical practitioner who is enrolled in the General Practice Experience Pathway.
2. Examinations refers to the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), Key Feature Problems (KFP) and /or Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) as appropriate.
3. Full time general practice experience is calculated at a minimum of 27 hours face to face, rostered, patient consultation time in general practice activities and undertaken over a minimum of four days per week within a minimum 38 hour working week. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or of less than one month in any one practice, will not be considered. Hours worked beyond this definition of full time will not be considered.
4. Part time general practice experience is calculated pro-rata with a minimum of 10.5 hours face to face, rostered, patient consultation time in general practice activities and undertaken over a minimum of two days per week within a minimum 14.5 hour working week. Work periods of less than three consecutive hours, or of less than one month in any one practice, will not be considered.
5. Comprehensive Australian general practice means:
   1. continuity of care that is person centred, comprehensive and coordinated; focusing on the whole person, and all presenting symptoms;
   2. health promotion and illness prevention services that are based on patient need and the best available evidence;
   3. the diagnosis, treatment and management of the full range of undifferentiated conditions in a diverse range of individuals, families and communities not limited by practice intention or business focus; and
   4. general practice undertaken in Australia.

This is an abridged definition distilled from the Competency profile of the Australian general practitioner at the point of Fellowship.

5. Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to undertake the examinations Candidates must:

1. Have completed the 12 month full time equivalent General Practice Experience Pathway Education Program as amended from time to time.
2. Have completed four years full time equivalent  general practice experience over the last ten years, which must include one year full time equivalent Australian general practice experience, which must include six months full time equivalent in comprehensive Australian general practice, which must:
   1. be completed while undertaking the General Practice Experience Pathway Education Program; and
   2. meet the minimum part time requirements
   as assessed under the Assessment of General Practice Experience Policy.
3. Hold current Australian medical registration at all times while on the General Practice Experience Pathway and to be eligible for the examinations. Candidates must disclose any restrictions, conditions, suspensions and/or notations on, or changes to, their medical registration to the RACGP. Candidates must disclose changes to their medical registration to the RACGP via email to education@racgp.org.au. Failure to do this will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4. Be a financial RACGP member from the time of joining the General Practice Experience Pathway and throughout their candidature.

6. Change in eligibility status

If at any time a Candidate becomes ineligible for an examination for whatever reasons after enrolment in that examination then they must inform the RACGP and withdraw. Failure to do this will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.

7. Related policies, documents and legislation

All policies and procedures related to the General Practice Experience Pathway are available at Fellowship Pathways Policy Framework.

8. Administrative procedures

8.1 Access to published policy

This policy will be available via the RACGP website as detailed in clause 7.

8.2 Promulgation of published policy

Relevant staff members will be provided communications explaining the function and role of this policy.

8.3 Review of this policy

This policy will have a review cycle of three years.