RACGP Rural Generalist RPLE Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the documentation checklist.

The application fee for RPLE assessment is $450. If additional training and/or experience is required the fee will be $950.

You may still be eligible; however, you will need to demonstrate that you have met the minimum time requirements, and that your locum work is conducted in significant blocks while returning to the same communities.  Please refer to the part time policy found here.

If you can show that the location does not have a general practice clinic and the health service provides primary care services—such as managing chronic diseases and offering continuity of care—you may be able to use your hospital work. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and you will be required to provide a logbook that is representative of your practice at your small rural hospital.

If you can demonstrate extensive, relevant experience in a rural emergency and show how your experience aligns with the outcomes of the curriculum and provide supporting letters verifying this, you may still be eligible to apply for an ARST in Emergency Medicine.

To be eligible for an ARST aligned with a specialist college curriculum, you must demonstrate that you have maintained the currency of your skills— through current practice in ARST, roster / credentialing / CPD in the advanced skill.

You would need to show evidence of currency in the advanced skill you gained for your FARGP along with meeting the Core Emergency Medicine Training (Core EMT) requirement.

While there are some differences in the curriculum for the two fellowships (the FARGP requires the ACEM Emergency Medicine Certificate, while the FRACGP-RG requires the ACEM AEMTP), you may still be eligible to apply. Please see question 3 for further details.

The FRACGP-RG is an additional fellowship and cannot overlap with placements for your FRACGP. 

You may be eligible for RPLE if you  

• hold relevant qualifications in line with the ARST curriculum (e.g., DRANZCOG Advanced, Anaesthesia, Rural Palliative care, AEMTP), and  
• can meet the rural and remote requirements via additional time working in rural general practice, and 
• satisfy the Core EMT criteria.  

Small Town Rural General practice ARST requires a minimum 2 year rural general practice experience post FRACGP for RPLE to be considered.

Depending on discipline support letters would be accepted from: Director of Medical Services, Head of Dept, Specialist in relevant discipline, support letters from FRACGP-RG with the same ARST discipline as applying for.

The community project should be led by the RG applicant, and of a substantial nature, equivalent to a project that would take approximately six months, as per the ARST curriculum and project guidelines. Contact us for assistance with the project and requirements at RG@RACGP.org.au.

An ARST in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health must be undertaken in an Aboriginal Medical Service or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service in a rural setting.

The RACGP is part of a joint application to the AMC and NMBA seeking formal recognition of RG as a specialised field within the speciality of general practice. We are also advocating for improved Medicare recognition for services provided by RGs. 

FRACGP-RG may also be eligible for regions workforce incentive stream 2 payments.

FRACGP-RG may also be eligible for higher remuneration.

UCC usually does not manage the higher acuity presentations, however, some UCCs may operate as an emergency department. If this is the case, supporting documents verifying this will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Demonstrate that work in UCC meets the core EMT requirements.

Yes, if you can demonstrate that you are managing the full range of emergency presentations and meeting the Core EMT logbook requirements, you may still be able to fulfil the Core EMT criteria. You will need to demonstrate how your experience aligns with the core EMT curriculum.

Yes, you can. Please contact us at RG@RACGP.org.au to discuss potential training opportunities.