Training Transfer Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the principles and requirements for transfer between Training Regions, Training Programs, Training Streams and General Practice Colleges.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to:

1. 1. all Registrars enrolled in the:

      1. Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program,

      2. Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS), and

      3. Fellowship Support Program (FSP),

   2. medical practitioners looking to transfer to an RACGP Training Program, and

   3. RACGP Staff.

2.2 This policy is to be read in conjunction with the relevant Registrar handbooks and Staff training manuals.

2.3 This policy replaces the previous AGPT Program Transfer Policy and related regional training organisation policies and will come into effect on the start date of the first term of the Training Program or the RVTS in 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that there is any inconsistency between the previous policies and this policy, the terms of this policy apply.

3. General principles

3.1 The RACGP recognises that circumstances may arise that require the Registrar to transfer between Training Regions, Training Streams, Training Programs (including the RVTS) and General Practice Colleges.

3.2 A Transfer must not compromise the Registrar’s training and workforce obligations.

3.3 Registrars are not automatically entitled to a transfer, and all requests for transfer are at the discretion of the RACGP.

3.4 The RACGP will provide individual case management support to the Registrar who requests a transfer to optimise the outcome for the Registrar, whether the request to transfer is granted or denied.

4. Request for transfer

4.1 Registrars can request to transfer between:

1. 1. Training Regions (AGPT Program only),

   2. Training Streams (AGPT Program only), including the rural and general streams,

   3. Training Programs, including the RVTS, and

   4. the General Practice Colleges’ AGPT programs.

4.2 Depending on the type of transfer, the RACGP will assess and approve a transfer, where appropriate, for either the remaining balance of training (permanent) or for a specified period (temporary).

4.3 The RACGP will provide the outcome of a request for transfer within 20 Business Days of receipt of a complete application.

4.4 For the AGPT Program, the RACGP will not approve a transfer within the first 26 calendar weeks after Commencement of Training, unless there are Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances.

5. Types of transfer

5.1 Transfer between Training Regions (AGPT program only)

1. 1. Registrars in the AGPT program are expected to remain with their allocated Training Region for the duration of their training. Therefore, Registrars may only apply for a transfer between Training Regions if:

      1. the Registrar has an identified career and/or Education and Training Requirement, approved by the RACGP, and all options to undertake appropriate training within their Training Region have been exhausted, or

      2. the Registrar or a Significant Family Relation has Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances, or

      3. the Training Region is unable to match the Registrar to an appropriate Training Site.

   2. Registrars training with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are exempt from applying for transfers between Training Regions when the transfer is for the purposes of ADF training. The RACGP ADF Team will manage these transfers at a national level.

   3. Transfers between Training Regions may be either temporary or permanent. 

5.2 Transfer between Training Streams (AGPT program only)

1. 1. General to rural stream

      1. Registrars training with the general stream of the AGPT program do not require a transfer to train in a Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2–7 location. 

   2. Rural to general stream

      1. Registrars with the rural stream are generally required to undertake all their training in Training Sites in MMM 2–7 locations.

      2. Where Registrars need to undertake extended skills training, core emergency medicine training or additional rural skills training, the RACGP may approve temporary training in an MMM 1 location. Rural stream Registrars are expected to return to MMM 2–7 placements following completion of the training term. A transfer from the rural stream to the general stream is not required in this instance.

      3. If a Registrar with the rural stream has circumstances that require them to train with the general stream rather than the rural stream, they can apply to the RACGP for a transfer to the general stream if:

         1. they have an identified career and/or Education and Training Requirement approved by the RACGP, and all options to undertake appropriate training in an MMM 2–7 location within their Training Region have been exhausted,

         2. they, or a Significant Family Relation, have Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances, or

         3. they, or a Significant Family Relation, have an unforeseen medical condition that precludes them from being adequately or safely managed in the rural location in which they are based.

   3. Transfers between the rural to general streams are permanent.

5.3 Transfer between Training Programs, including the RVTS

1. 1. All Registrars must meet the eligibility and selection requirements of the Training Program they wish to transfer into, as determined by the RACGP.

   2. Registrars may apply for recognition of prior learning or experience (RPLE), as per the Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy. All decisions are made at the discretion of the relevant Censor.

   3. If accepted into the new Training Program, the Registrar must withdraw from their current Training Program prior to Commencement of Training in their new Training Program.

   4. Once enrolled in the new Training Program, Registrars must meet the exam eligibility and Fellowship requirements as specified in the relevant policies of the new Training Program to sit Fellowship Exams and apply for Fellowship.

      1. If the Registrar has commenced their Fellowship Exam Candidacy prior to transfer, the RACGP will pause their Candidacy until they have been deemed eligible to sit the exams under the new Training Program’s exam eligibility requirements.

      2. Transferring between Training Programs does not reset the Registrar’s candidacy.

   5. Transfers between Training Programs are permanent.

5.4 Transfer between General Practice College AGPT programs

1. 1. Registrars may apply to transfer between the RACGP and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) AGPT programs.

   2. Registrars may apply for RPLE, as per the RACGP’s Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy or ACRRM’s Recognition of Prior Learning Policy. All decisions are made at the discretion of the relevant General Practice College’s Censor.

   3. If accepted into the General Practice College AGPT program they wish to transfer into, the Registrar must withdraw from their current AGPT program prior to Commencement of Training in their new AGPT program, and follow the relevant General Practice College’s pathway to Fellowship.

   4. Registrars may apply to undertake both General Practice Colleges’ AGPT programs as a dual-Fellowship Registrar.

   5. Registrars who transfer to or add the other General Practice College’s AGPT program do not gain any additional vocational training time.

   6. Requests for transfer between General Practice Colleges are considered by the relevant General Practice College’s national office and relevant censor, and, if approved, are permanent.

6. Amendment to this policy

The Censor-in-Chief (CiC) may, without the consent of the RACGP Board, make Minor, Moderate and Consequential Amendments to this policy at any time. 

If the CiC makes amendments, they must advise the RACGP Board of those amendments as soon as practicable. 

The RACGP Board may make amendments to this policy at any time.

7. Responsibilities 

7.1 Censor-in-Chief	Approving Minor Amendments Approving Moderate Amendments Approving Consequential Amendments
7.2 RACGP	Assessing and approving transfers Providing the outcome of a request for transfer to the Registrar within 20 Business Days
7.3 RACGP Board	Approving Major Amendments
7.4 Registrar	Submitting all applications for transfers to the RACGP on the correct form, including all relevant supporting documentation Ensuring that the transfer application form is completed in full and signed Responding to requests for additional information from the RACGP

 

8. Glossary

8.1 Business Day	A day when both the national and relevant regional office are operating.
8.2 Candidacy	The three-year period during which candidates may enrol in Fellowship Exams.
8.3 Consequential Amendment	An amendment which requires urgent implementation as a necessary result of an amendment to another policy or process.
8.4 Commencement of Training	The first day on which the Registrar begins their RACGP-approved program.
8.5 Education and Training Requirements	The mandatory components of the Registrars RACGP-approved program as defined in the relevant Registrar handbook.
8.6 Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances	Circumstances which are outside the Registrars control and can reasonably be considered to have been unforeseen, and can be shown to have a direct and significant impact on the Registrar. The RACGP considers Extenuating and Unforeseen Circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
8.7 Fellowship	Admittance to either: Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP), or FRACGP and Rural Generalist Fellowship(FRACGP-RG).
8.8 Fellowship Exams	The exams run by the RACGP to assess the candidate’s competency for unsupervised general practice anywhere in Australia, including: Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), Key Feature Problem (KFP), and Clinical Examination, which depending on the time of sitting, is the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), Remote Clinical Exam (RCE) or Clinical Competency Exam (CCE).
8.9 General Practice College	Either the: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), or Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
8.10 Major Amendment	An amendment that materially changes the operation of the policy but is not otherwise a Minor or Moderate Amendment (ie a change to one major clause or policy review).
8.11 Minor Amendment	An amendment to style, to correct grammatical mistakes, change overall formatting, make updates that do not materially change meaning, or any other amendment, which in the opinion of the Censor-in-Chief, does not materially alter the operation of the policy.
8.12 Moderate Amendments	An amendment that materially changes the operation of a policy by a limited amount (ie a change to one minor clause, or changes that have a limited impact on the outcome of the policy).
8.13 Modified Monash Model	The Modified Monash Model (MMM) defines whether a location is a city, rural, remote or very remote. MMM 1 is a major city and MMM 7 is very remote. More information on MMM areas can be found on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
8.14 RACGP ADF Team	The RACGP Australian Defence Force (ADF) Team has a nationally based footprint to support management of ADF Registrar training on the AGPT Program.
8.15 RACGP Staff	Anyone who is an employee or contractor of the RACGP.
8.16 Registrar	A medical practitioner enrolled in the: Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program, Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS), or Fellowship Support Program (FSP).
8.17 Significant Family Relation	Anyone with whom the Registrar has close familial relations. This may include, but is not limited to, a parent, sibling, spouse/partner/de facto/fiancé(e), child, grandparent and community member.
8.18 Training Program	Either the: Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, or Fellowship Support Program (FSP). For the purposes of this policy, Training Program also includes the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS).
8.19 Training Region	An area in which the RACGP delivers general practice training as defined by the relevant Training Program.
8.20 Training Site	A health service accredited by the RACGP where the Registrar may undertake their general practice training. For AGPT Registrars, this excludes the mandatory hospital training time.
8.21 Training Stream	Subdivisions of the AGPT program. These are: the general stream, and the rural stream.

9. Related documents, legislation and policies

• ACRRM Recognition of Prior Learning Policy
• Dispute, Reconsideration and Appeals policy
• Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience Policy
• AGPT Registrar Training handbook
• AGPT staff training manual
• FSP Registrar handbook
• FSP staff training manual

10. Policy review and currency

This policy will be reviewed every three calendar years from the last approval date, or when there is a significant change in the intent of the policy. This policy remains valid and applicable notwithstanding if it is overdue for review.