GPs in training

There continues to be a decline in medical students’ preference to specialise in general practice. In 2024, only 9.4% of medical students reported general practice as their preferred specialty, compared to 10.6% in 2023 and 13% in 2022.¹⁵ Interest in specialising as a Rural Generalist has decreased, with 5.7% of medical students identifying this as their preferred specialty in 2024, compared to 7.2% in 2023.¹⁵

General practice as a preferred specialty for future practice ranks fourth (Figure 47). When combined with rural generalism as a preferred speciality, this increases to the second-most preferred specialty overall, at 15.1%.¹⁵

The number of doctors entering the RACGP Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program has increased from 1204 doctors in 2024 to 1544 doctors in 2025 (Figure 48). The Fellowship Support Program (FSP) had 496 GP training participants starting the program in 2025, an increase from 409 participants who started in 2024. The Practice Experience Program (PEP) – Specialist is a program for overseas GP specialists wishing to qualify for RACGP Fellowship, with 185 GP participants starting this program in 2025.

Females continue to represent a larger proportion of the GPs in training cohort across all RACGP training programs (Figure 49).