GP 2012 Handbook - Online
GP 2012 Handbook - Online
GP 2012 Handbook - Online
Practice
australian general
practice training
HANDBOOK 2012
Australian General Practice Training
Handbook 2012
2012 selection
opens 13 May 2011
www.agpt.com.au
1
The Australian General Practice Training program
There are many benefits when considering a career in general practice:
Doctors are choosing general practice as a career for the many advantages it brings.
General practice demands a wide breadth of medical knowledge, it offers the opportunity to
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
subspecialise and undertake procedural medicine, and allows for balance between work and
family life.
The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program provides registrars with the building
blocks to work at the forefront of primary health care. AGPT offers a range of options for urban
and rural vocational training, delivered through regional training providers (RTPs) across Australia.
The RTPs deliver training towards two vocational endpoints recognised by Medicare Australia:
Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and Fellowship of
the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM). Rural RTPs also deliver training
towards the RACGP’s Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP).
NOTE: The information in this Handbook is correct at the time of publication, but prospective
applicants should regularly check the AGPT website (www.agpt.com.au) in the ‘Apply for AGPT’>’New
Applicants’ section for updated information regarding eligibility and application requirements.
2
Contents
1. General Information 4
Training overview 4
Training delivery 4
Eligibility for the AGPT program 4
Rural pathway 4
General pathway 5
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander RTP interview places 5
Part-time training 5
2. Training Requirements 6
General requirements 6
Mandatory hospital experience 6
Recognition of prior learning 7
3. Training Qualifications 8
FACRRM/FRACGP 8
FARGP 8
Diagram 1: Australian General Practice Training 9
6. Incentives 13
General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP) 13
HECS Reimbursement Scheme 13
3
1. General Information
4
Some overseas-trained or overseas-born General pathway
doctors affected by Section 19AB of the
The general pathway is for doctors who wish
Health Insurance Act 1973 (the 10-year
to train in urban areas. General pathway
moratorium) may be required to join the
registrars are required to undertake a
rural pathway and are ineligible for the
minimum of 12 months training in a rural
general pathway.
and/or outer metropolitan location and/or an
The 10-year moratorium provides that Medicare Aboriginal medical service. Incentives are
available for general pathway registrars who
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
benefits are not payable for professional
services provided by overseas-trained doctors train in rural areas (see page 13).
and international doctors trained in Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
This restriction is generally for a period of 10 Islander RTP interview places
years, starting from the time they first become
registered with a state or territory medical board. RTP interview places are reserved each year
for doctors of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
For more information contact AGPT Selection at:
Islander origin.
[email protected]
or telephone (02) 6263 6776. Part-time training
Rural pathway areas are designated as Registrars are accepted into the AGPT program
Remoteness Areas (RAs) 2 to 5 (see page 4). as full-time registrars. At any time during
Generous financial incentives are available for training registrars may apply to their RTP to
rural pathway registrars (see page 13). train part time.
5
2. Training Requirements
6
Mandatory hospital rotations Recognition of prior learning
Internal Medicine Recognition of prior learning (RPL) can reduce
registrars’ overall time in the AGPT program.
Preferably general medicine or, if unavailable,
RPL applications should be submitted to the
a rotation that offers broad medical
relevant college with the support of your RTP.
experience.
RPL is approved by college censors and must
Surgery be applied for in the first year of training.
Applicants should contact their preferred RTP
General surgery is preferred or, if unavailable,
for detailed information about RPL.
a surgical rotation that covers the principles of
basic surgical care.
Rotation.
Paediatrics
7
3. Training Qualifications
FACRRM/FRACGP FARGP
The AGPT program is designed to prepare Some RTPs also offer training for the award
registrars to be eligible for Fellowship of of Fellowship in Advanced Rural General
the Australian College of Rural and Remote Practice (FARGP) offered by the National
Medicine (FACRRM) and/or Fellowship of Rural Faculty of the RACGP. This award aims
the Royal Australian College of General to equip doctors to practise independently,
Practitioners (FRACGP). Both fellowships safely and competently across a range of rural
are recognised by Medicare Australia. and remote settings in Australia. Registrars
Prerequisites for eligibility for receiving the must complete the additional requirements
FACRRM or FRACGP award are: designated by the RACGP to be eligible for the
conferment of this award.
• Satisfactorily completing the required
period of training, three years of training
for FRACGP and four years for FACRRM
(see Diagram 1: Australian General
Practice Training (AGPT) 2012, page 9)
8
Diagram 1: Australian General Practice Training
FACRRM FRACGP
QUALIFICATION QUALIFICATION
(ACRRM) (RACGP)
GPT 3
Primary Rural & Joint training
6 months
Year Three Remote Training opportunities are
available † Extended Skills
2 x 6 months
+ FRACGP (VR)
FACRRM (VR)
9
4. Regional Training Providers
Diagram 2: Map of RTPs
7
10
20
9 8
11
5
19 3
12
4
1
18 6
14
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
13 Shared/transitional zone
15 16
17
10
New South Wales/ 1. CoastCityCountry General Practice www.ccctraining.org
ACT Training
6. WentWest www.wentwest.com.au
17. Shared zone: Southern GP Training and www.southernGPtraining.com.au Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
Victorian Metropolitan Alliance www.vma.com.au
NOTE: Some areas of Australia are designated ‘shared’ or ‘transitional’ zones. These
areas (see map page 10) are currently shared by or in transition between RTPs.
For further information on training in these areas please contact the relevant RTPs
directly via their websites.
11
5. Australian Standard
Geographical Classification –
Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA)
System
The Australian Standard Geographical Areas (RAs). The RA categories are defined
Classification – Remoteness Areas (ASGC- in terms of ‘remoteness’ - the physical
RA) system was developed in 2001 by distance of a location from the nearest urban
the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). centre (access to goods and services) based
As a statistical geography structure it on population size. A primary advantage
allows quantitative comparisons between of the new classification system is that the
‘city’ and ‘country’ Australia. The purpose remoteness structure is updated each census.
of the structure is to classify data from The ASGC-RA system was updated on
census collection districts (CDs) into broad 8 November 2007 after the 2006 census.
geographical categories, called Remoteness
RA 4 Remote Australia
12
6. Incentives
The following incentives are administered through Medicare Australia and are part of the
Australian Government’s Rural Health Strategy to promote careers in rural areas.
doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/publishing.
nsf/Content/program-registrar-factsheet
13
To be eligible, applicants must:
14
7. Preparation for Application
Applications for the 2012 Australian General 3. Statutory declaration stating your
Practice Training (AGPT) program will open intention of applying for permanent
on 13 May 2011 and close on 17 June 2011. residency when eligible and of
There are a number of things you can do now gaining permanent residency
to prepare for your application. Please read status by the completion of AGPT.
this carefully to ensure you cover all of the This option is available only for
requirements for your individual situation. Australian-trained applicants
who are temporary residents. All
Referee Reports
overseas-trained applicants must be
All applicants must have two valid and permanent residents at the time of
complete referee reports to support their applying for AGPT.
application.
B. Primary medical qualification
References must be submitted on the
approved GPET pro forma, which will be • Copy of medical degree for all applicants.
available on the AGPT website in the lead up Where this is not in English, a verified
to the application opening date. For more English translation must be provided.
information please visit the ‘New Applicants’
• Academic transcript for all overseas-
section of the AGPT website http://www.agpt.
born doctors. Where this is not in
com.au/ApplyforAGPT/NewApplicants/
English, a verified English translation
Certified supporting documentation must be provided.
15
C. Proof of meeting all of the requirements F. Name changes
of the Australian Medical Council (AMC)
• Evidence of name change (e.g. marriage
• This is a requirement for doctors who certificate or deed poll) if your name
did not receive their primary medical appears differently in any of the
qualification from an Australian or supporting documents.
New Zealand university/medical
G. Applicants currently enrolled in
school. This can be gained by either
Australian General Practice Training or
completing and passing both parts of
other general practice vocational training
the AMC examination or by meeting all
requirements of the AMC’s Competent • Applicants must resign from their current
Authority Pathway. training and training provider and
produce evidence of their resignation
D. Medical registration
before the end of the application period
• Evidence of current medical registration OR
in an Australian state or territory for all
• Provide a statutory declaration stating
applicants
that you will resign from your current
• Proof of date of first medical registration vocational training program if accepted
in an Australian state or territory for in to AGPT.
all overseas-trained applicants and any
H. Doctors with conditions placed on their
Australian-trained applicants who were
medical registration
born overseas.
• Doctors who have conditions placed on
E. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
their medical registration due to reasons
Islander applicants who wish to be
of health or conduct should provide a
considered for one of the places
Certificate of Registration Status (or
reserved for doctors of Aboriginal and/or
equivalent) from the Australian Health
Torres Strait Islander origin
Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Proof of membership of the Australian
Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA).
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
16
Certification of supporting documentation
• A postal manager
• A pharmacist.
MDP 1054
Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601
Facsimile: (02) 6289 7900
Email: [email protected]
17
8. AGPT Selection Centres
18
Example 1 Example 2
A 55-year-old woman with ischaemic You are looking after Mrs Sandra
heart disease has smoked 20 Jones, who is being investigated in
cigarettes per day for 40 years. hospital. You are asked by her family
She requests nicotine replacement not to inform Mrs Jones if the results
patches. She has had these previously confirm cancer.
but has been inconsistent in their use
Choose the THREE most appropriate
and has often continued to smoke
actions to take in this situation.
while using the patches.
A Ignore the family’s wishes.
Rank in order the following immediate
actions in response to this situation B Agree not to tell Mrs Jones.
A Emphasise the dangers of smoking D Ask Mrs Jones whether she wishes
but do not prescribe. to know the test results.
B Enquire about the difficulties she E Ask Mrs Jones whether she wishes
has with stopping smoking and any you to inform the family.
previous problems with patches.
F Inform Mrs Jones that her family
C Insist on a period of abstinence does not wish her to have the results.
before prescribing any further
G Give the results to the family first.
patches.
H Give the results to the next of kin
D Prescribe another supply of patches
first.
and explain how they should be used.
19
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) The scenarios
MMIs involve candidates being rotated You will be provided with a clinical scenario 10
between stations (one for each standard minutes before the interview starts. A pen and
interview question) with each interviewer paper will be provided so that you can make
asking the same question to each applicant notes. The scenarios are ‘future oriented’
individually. This is followed by a consensus and have been designed to encourage you to
session of all interviewers to evaluate each indicate what your actions might be given a
applicant. hypothetical situation.
20
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
21
Regional training provider interview Obtaining feedback
Some providers may request a further You will be provided with an opportunity to
interview with a candidate to ascertain their request feedback about your performance.
suitability to the specific region and to ensure The details about who to contact regarding
that the RTP can meet the candidate’s training the feedback will be provided in the letter that
needs. notifies you of your Selection Centre outcome
(e.g. letter of offer).
What happens next?
• Referee reports
• Situational Judgement Test
• Multiple Mini Interview
• The score is for ranking only in relation
to other candidates – NOT pass/fail or
exclusion
You could use the ‘STAR’ method to help you focus on the kind of detail you will need to
describe in your examples at interview:
Situation: Describe the situation in detail by giving the overall context. What
Task: Describe the task that you were responsible for. What was your role?
Action: What specific steps did you take? What was your particular contribution?
A (Be careful! It’s easy to describe what the team or group did when talking about
certain events, but this doesn’t convey your particular skills. Use the word “I” in
describing actions.)
Result: What was the end result of the action that you took?
R
22
9. Eligibility for the AGPT program
To assess your eligibility for the AGPT program
please follow the steps below: NOTE: From 1 July 2010 there will be
opportunities for doctors affected by
STEP 3
If you are subject to the 10-year moratorium
the 10-year restriction will commence from
the date of your first medical registration in
an Australian state or territory, and will cease
after 10 years, provided you have gained
Australian permanent residency or citizenship
during that period.
23
Diagram 3: Pathway Eligibility Guide - AGPT 2012
1 2
yES No yES NO
yES No
? ?
Australian General Practice Training Handbook 2012
it appears that you may not it appears that you may not
be subject to the 10-year be subject to the 10-year
moratorium and should be able to moratorium and should be able to
apply for both general and rural apply for both general and rural
pathway preferences pathway preferences
24
Diagram 4: Program Eligibility Guide – AGPT 2012
START HERE
CITIZENSHIP Are you an Australian/New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident, or will you be by 17 June 2011?
YES NO
YES NO YES NO
x
Did you obtain your primary medical SORRY!
qualification in New Zealand? You are not eligible
YES NO
YES NO
YES NO
x
SORRY!
You are not eligible
YES NO
x
TRAINING PROGRAM Are you currently enrolled in either Australian General Practice SORRY!
REGISTRATION Training or any other training programs? You are not eligible
YES NO
?
Please contact AGPT
YES, YOU CAN APPLY
Selection (02) 6263 6776
www.agpt.com.au