Additional Rural Skills Training requirements
RGs provide additional healthcare services to their community in at least one area of non-general-practice specialist skill or advanced general practice. As such, a core component of the RG Fellowship is the completion of 12 months FTE ARST in an accredited training post.
This training augments core general practice training by providing an opportunity for you to develop additional skills and knowledge to help better meet the needs of your community.
You can select one of the following approved disciplines for your ARST component. We recommend you consider both your own interests and the needs of your community when selecting an ARST discipline.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
- adult internal medicine
- anaesthesia
- child health
- emergency medicine
- mental health
- obstetrics
- palliative care
- surgery
- academic post
All ARST terms must be completed over a period of at least 12 months FTE in an accredited training post that provides the experience and supervision necessary to meet the requirements of the chosen ARST curriculum. Where possible, you should complete the training in a regional or rural location; however, urban posts will be accepted depending on the availability of training posts.
Where a genuine community need is identified, you may develop an ARST discipline outside the list of recognised approved disciplines to meet this need. This must meet the requirements of ARST and be approved by the RACGP Rural Censor before you start training. Applications should first be discussed with your medical educator before emailing your request to the RACGP Rural Censor at
You may complete a second ARST post if you wish to. For this to be recognised on your Fellowship parchment, you must first seek approval from the RACGP Rural Censor and relevant Rural Generalist Coordination Unit, complete the post within your maximum training time frame and pay any relevant fees. Apply to the Rural Censor by submitting a reflection outlining which second ARST you would like to do and why (in particular, how it will benefit your community). Email this to rg@racgp.org.au.
Curriculums
Each curriculum sets out the competencies that GPs in training are required to develop to complete their ARST. It also provides a framework for the teaching and learning of the critical knowledge, skills and attitudes that rural GPs require to effectively deliver appropriate inpatient and outpatient in rural and remote communities, where specialist support is often limited.
These curriculums are effective for all Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) and Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) candidates training from 2022 onwards.
RG feedback
The RACGP Rural team collaborates with general practitioners to ensure education programs are designed and delivered by GPs and reflect the challenges of working in rural Australia.
Feedback from GPs enrolled in the program, or from GPs interested in taking part, is always welcome. Feedback can be sent to the RACGP Rural Manager via rural@racgp.org.au.
Members or stakeholders wishing to raise opportunities or issues with the Rural Education Committee can address their feedback to Rural Education Committee Chair and send it to rural@racgp.org.au.
Further information is available in the RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship Training Handbook