Applications for entry into Australian GP training, 2018 have been open since 10th April, 2017 and will close at 10 AM (AEST) on the 8th May,2017.
The training pathway for prospective applicants is available in three different options with some common components.
One can undertake rural pathway and this includes one year of hospital based core rotations followed by two years of primary rural practice training as well as mandatory one year of advanced training in order to obtain FACRRM ( Fellowship of Australian Rural and Remote Medicine).
The General pathway applicants will need to undertake one year of hospital based core rotations and two years of GP training in order to obtain FRCAGP (Fellowship of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners).
The third pathway which is a followup to FRCAGP incorporates one year of advanved rural General Practice to obtain FARGP( Fellowship of Australian Rural General Practitioners)
Some components of training are common to all three pathways but the candidates need to register seperately for each pathway in order to obtain dual fellowship and practice in both rural and metropolitan areas.
General pathway GP training is more or less only available to Australian graduate doctors in most cases while overseas graduates are encouraged to apply for rural pathway due to the ten year moratorium imposed on foreign medical graduates practicing in Australia.
The advanced training options include • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health • Academic general practice • Anaesthetics • Palliative care • Mental health • Skin cancer medicine • Sports medicine.
The stages in selection process include eligibility assessment, followed by knowledge assessment via CAKKT (Candidate Assessment Knowledge test) and then an interview to finally select the candidates for GP training in their respective pathways in 2018.
The application process also charges fees this year once eligibility assessment stage is complete.All the stages of assessment are complete roughly around September, 2017 before final selection of candidates. The selected candidates will be able to commence their GP training in January or February, 2018