The Australian General Practice Training Program takes three years full time to complete.  Some registrars opt to complete a fourth year to pursue Extended Skills training and/or the Fellowship of Advanced Rural General Practice.  With Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) this time may be reduced to only two years. Importantly, part time training is supported by North Coast GP Training (NCGPT).

NCGPT's training team and supervisors conduct a range of educational activities and regularly give feedback on progress to maximise learning opportunities as well as to establish strong relationships.  NCGPT aims to conduct all teaching on a face to face basis, to do this, we maintain three educational nodes with medical educators based at each location (Ballina, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie).

The AGPT Program:

There are two vocational training outcomes offered to all registrars in the AGPT program – Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM).

GP registrars enrolled in the AGPT program can choose to train towards the FACRRM or the FRACGP qualification, or both, for vocational recognition.Fellowships are equally recognised and there is no restriction on where either fellowship will allow recipients to practice throughout Australia.

All registrars can also choose to undertake the additional RACGP Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP) as an additional qualification. This can be done concurrently with the FRACGP. The FARGP requires 12 months of advanced rural skills posts and has specific educational requirements.

On enrolment registrars nominate their preferred fellowship (preferred vocational recognition) end point/s. Existing registrars who wish to nominate additional end point qualifications, i.e. FRACGP, FACRRM or the FARGP can do so.

AGPT Program End Point qualifications and Fellowships

Training for Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP)

The aim of the RACGP vocational training is to provide the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for:

- Competent, unsupervised general practice

- General practitioners who are able to meet their communities' needs

- General practitioners to be able to support current national health priorities

- The future good of the Australian health care system.

Options within RACGP training allow registrars to spend time focusing on specific areas of practice and also to undertake extended skills training to gain essential knowledge and skills for future directions. RACGP training also provides up to 12 months of advanced rural skills training, one of the requirements of the Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP).

For up-to-date details regarding the FRACGP and FARGP education and training components,curriculum and assessment, visit the ‘Education’ section of the college website www.racgp.org.au

Training for Fellowship of the ACRRM (FRACGP)

The aim of ACRRM’s vocational training program is to produce fellows who can function as safe,confident general practitioners, capable of working independently and collaboratively in a variety of healthcare settings throughout Australia but particularly in rural and remote communities.

Clinical training requirements

ACRRM registrars are required to complete a minimum of four years of vocational training in accredited posts. This includes:

- 12 months Core Clinical Training (CCT) in an ACRRM accredited metropolitan, regional or rural hospital recognised for intern training. CCT provides baseline competencies for safe clinical practice.

- 24 months Primary Rural and Remote Training (PRRT) in a combination of rural and remote ACRRM accredited private practices, Aboriginal medical services, small rural hospitals or community-based facilities.

- 12 months Advanced SpecialisedTraining (AST) in ACRRM accredited posts in one approved discipline.

ACRRM registrars are also required to complete:

- All formative and summative assessment modalities

- At least two emergency courses 

- Four Rural and Remote Medical Education Online (RRMEO) modules.

For up-to-date details regarding FACRRM education and training components and curriculum, assessment, and educational support and resources visit the ‘Programs’ section of the college website www.acrrm.org.au.  

GP Procedural Training Program

The NSW GP Procedural Training Program is also available which gives registrar’s access to a number of diverse, well supported hospital positions in the disciplines of Emergency, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Anaesthetics and Mental health.