Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)

The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program is an Australian government initiative which provides training for doctors to achieve general practice Fellowship and gain specialist registration.

The AGPT Program is three to four years of full-time training offered in metropolitan, rural, remote and very remote locations nationally. It comprises hospital training, general practice placements and extended skills training.

Training is undertaken with a regional training organisation (RTO) as a combination of self-directed and face-to-face training within accredited medical facilities by accredited supervisors. You can apply to the AGPT Program any time from intern year onwards.

The AGPT Program is an Australian Government initiative and entry into the program and in accordance with the Department of Health Eligibility Guidelines.

Visit racgp.org.au and search ‘AGPT’ for further information and to download a copy of the latest selection guide.

Indigenous Entry Pathways Description

Not applicable.

Key Dates

AGPT application dates can vary year to year; however, applications usually open in late March or early April each year and remain open for a period of five weeks.

RACGP Fellowship examinations are held twice each year:

• February and July for written examination
• May and November for clinical examination

Placement Requirements

The General Practice Training in Australia – the Guide provides detailed information regarding the training program delivery and requirements.

Successful completion of the RACGP Fellowship exams is required for FRACGP. The RACGP Fellowship exams consist of three segments:

• a multiple choice exam; the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) (online segment)
• a short answer written exam; Key Feature Problem (KFP) (online segment)
• the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE).

Eligible candidates are required to pay a fee of $725 to participate in the Candidate Assessment and Applied Knowledge Test (CAAKT), which is part of the RACGP selection process each year.

The exam associated fees (AUD) are:

• KFP $2330
• AKT $2330
• OSCE $4770

Alternative payment option are available for CAAKT and/or examination candidates experiencing financial hardship.

The RACGP is committed to raising awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health needs and as a result, RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (Faculty) was formed in February 2010, to help ‘close the gap’. The Faculty partners with leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health peak bodies to ensure the growth of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander general practitioner workforce and advocates on critical issues affecting in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.  In addition, the Faculty provides dedicated support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and registrars throughout their general practice training journey.

For more information visit the website.

The Department of Health through the AGPT program is making a significant contribution through national and regional initiatives that aim to increase the number of registrars training in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. For more information visit the website.

Indigenous Mentoring Programs, networks, support programs etc

Yagila Wadamba program is a two-day workshop that offers exam preparation and peer support at no cost.

gplearning is the RACGP’s online interactive continuing professional development learning tool.  Free to RACGP members, gplearning offers the Exam Support Online (ESO) program, which affords candidates the opportunity to learn about the elements of the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) and the Key Feature Problems (KFP) and trial some practice questions with feedback.

Resources and guides specific to the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including;

• An introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols and perspectives
• National guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (3rd Edition)
• Webinars on issues related to GPs and other health professionals working in the Aboriginal Community Controlled health Services (ACCHS)
• The Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness Active Learning Module (ALM

RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health has established cooperative partnerships with leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health peak bodies in recognition of our joint commitment to Close the Gap in health inequality, including:

• Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA)
• Indigenous General Practice Registrars Network (IGPRN)
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

College Scholarships

Each year the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander faculty offers awards and grants to a Fellow, member of the RACGP or an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who has contributed to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Through the generous donation of Dr Nathan Pinskier and Mrs Susan Pinskier, the Growing Strong award is aimed at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars, and complements the RACGP’s existing Standing Strong Together award and is open to Fellows or an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person working towards improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  The award is presented to the recipient each year at the RACGP’s annual conference, with the recipient receiving support to attend the conference (including airfares, accommodation and registration), with all residual funding going towards the recipient’s examination fees.

Financial Assistance

The RACGP offers alternative payment arrangements for candidates facing financial hardship.