GP AUSTRALIA

The Australian General Practice Training program is the largest GP training program. If you don’t meet its eligibility requirements refer to the other programs on this page, they may suit your circumstances.

Eligibility to enter the Australian General Practice Training program

To enter the AGPT program applicants need to meet 4 core criteria within timeframes that fit with the application cycle. The criteria are:

• Citizenship or permanent residency
• Medical qualifications
• Medical registration
• Training program registration

The AGPT Program Eligibility Guide will help you assess your eligibility.

Interns can apply for a place in the AGPT if their GP training would commence after they have completed their intern year.

Permanent and temporary residents who are eligible to enter the AGPT program should note that the program requirements will mean changing employers. You need a valid visa which allows you to fulfil this requirement of the program, please check that your visa does not prevent or restrict changing employer.

Eligibility to select your choice of AGPT Pathway

Applicants considering the Rural Pathway should do a ‘personal fit’ check by gaining an understanding of what it means to be a rural doctor, and the nature of the regions where they plan to apply to train.

If you are going to apply for the rural pathway, eligible training locations are designated under a classification scheme. This has been RRMA classifications, but from July 2010 will be designated under ASGA-RA classifications. There are only a handful of areas where training posts will shift between being urban or rural. To see the rural pathway areas, RA 2 – 5, visit the map of districts.

Some doctors who are eligible to enter the AGPT program may not be able to train in the AGPT General Pathway.

If you were an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident when you commenced your primary medical qualification, and it was obtained from an Australian or New Zealand university, you are not affected by these eligibility criteria.

Doctors who trained overseas or who were born overseas and did not hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency when they commenced their Australian or New Zealand medical degree may have their choice of pathway restricted to the Rural Pathway,  and may also be affected by the 10-year moratorium.

• General Practice Education and Training (GPET) can only confirm eligibility to enter the General Pathway on receipt of an application. However, you can assess your eligibility for the General Pathway using the Pathway Eligibility Guide.
• The 10-year moratorium – Medicare provider numbers are issued to some doctors subject to restrictions on where they can train and practice. If affected you would have to work in a district classified from RA 2 – 5 for 10 years to have access to Medicare benefit arrangements. The 10 year  moratorium period starts from the date of your registration as a medical practitioner in Australia. For more detailed information about your individual circumstances and obligations contact the Department of Health and Ageing’s Workforce Regulation Section by email at 19AB@health.gov.au. You may be able to enter the Five Year Overseas Trained Doctor Recruitment Scheme, contact one of the rural workforce agencies on the Employment page for more information.

Eligibility for other GP training programs

Please contact RVTS about eligibility requirements to enter their rural & remote GP training program.

Please contact the RACGP about eligibility criteria for their specialist pathway for doctors who do not hold current Australian medical registration but have recognised general practice qualifications from overseas countries.

Please contact ACRRM about eligibility criteria for their independent pathway which allows experienced Australian and overseas trained doctors a flexible pathway towards FACRRM.