The AGPT Program > Frequently Asked Questions

GP Registrar - Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing between Colleges: Which college should I choose?

Rural Interest/Pathway

Registrars with a rural interest or who are on the Rural Pathway for other reasons (e.g. International Medical Graduates or bonded scholars) should discuss their options with the Director of Medical Education as the best decision wil depend on individual preferences and circumstances.

Choosing both Colleges

With careful forward planning, it may be possible to complete both programs simultaneously (or at least almost so). If this is your choice, you will need to join both Colleges and complete and pay for the assessments of each College. This can be a barrier for some registrars while others may see the benefit of membership of both Colleges.

Can I switch colleges after training has started?

Both Colleges recognise that circumstances changes and are working on ways that Registrars can change from one College to ther other.

Such a transition should be possible but it needs to be recognised that not all completed placements may still count (e.g a metropolitan Practice term may not count towards FACRRM and a small rural hospital placement may not count towards FRACGP) and there may be some issues with swapping assessments methods (catching up required if switching to ACRRM).

In order to determine which pathway best suits your needs, please speak with your Director Medical Education.

Full Time Training

Full Time training consists of a least eight sessions per week, each three to four hours in length.
A Full Time training load is worked over at least four days per week with no more than three sessions worked in any 24 hour period.
Scheduled patient contact time is no less than 28 hours per week (including nursing home, hospital and home visits).
At least half of these sessions are worked between the hours of 0800 and 2000, Monday to Friday and 0800 and 1300 on Saturday.
A minimum of three sessions per week must be worked in a single practice.

Part Time Training

Applications must be applied for prospectively and discussed with your local Director of Medical Education. Key points to keep in mind:

Part Time training must be at least three sessions per week.
Training requirements are always estimated in terms of full time equivalent (FTE).
Registrars undertaking part time training toward the FRACGP should discuss the acceleration of training time options with their DME (accleration of training options does not apply to FACRRM candidates).
Any changes to a registrar's training arrangements must be agreed to in advance by the registrar's regional training provider.

Contract Negotiation

I am unsure of my proposed contract - is there someone I can speak to?

CCCGPT encourages Registrars to direct contract queries to their relevant Registrar Liaison Officer (RLO).

Registrar Liaison Officers

What is an RLO?

RLO's are GP Registrars employed by CCCGPT to provide fellow Registrars with advice and support regarding a range of industrial issues including training, education and contracts. There is an RLO for each Local Training Group in CCCGPT.

How do I contact my RLO?

Please click on your LTG below to contact your relevant RLO via email:

On-site Supervision

How often does my Supervisor have to be with me at the Practice?

Your Supervisor (or delegate) must be on-site:

	GP Term 1*	GP Term 2	GP Term 3
Supervision	At least 80% of time to be onsite; remaining 20% to be contactable by phone.	At least 50% to be onsite; remaining 50% to be contactable by phone.	Supervision consistent with Registrar's current experience. Should be contactable 100% of the time.

Patient Numbers for GP Registrars in GP Terms

	GP Term 1*	GP Term 2	GP Term 3
Expected Patient Load	2-3 3-4	3-4	Maximum 4

GP Start

What is GP Start?

GP Start is a series of online modules, comprised of topics that are essential to Registrars in their first six months of General Practice Training.

Do I have to complete the modules in order?

No, it is not expected that modules will be completed in sequence.

Do I have to complete all the modules?

All GP Start Modules must be signed off by your Supervisor in order for you to meet your GPT1 educational requirements.

If your supervisor believes that completion of a module is unnecessary due to recent experiences or because you have demonstrated a clear understanding of the content, he/she may sign the module as completed.

How do I prove I have completed a module?

The Review and Feedback Section for each module must be completed by the GP Registrar on the GP Start Website. In addition to this, the Review section must also be signed off by the Supervisor for each module.

Formative Assessments

What is a Formative Assessment?

GP Supervisor Formative Assessments are an online document completed by your GP Supervisor, once a term. It has been designed to help identify areas of strength and weakness to assist you in the next stage of learning. Your Supervisor is required to appraise your skills in clinical practice against the 5 domains of General Practice.

Who Completes the Formative Assessment?

Formative Assessments are an online document completed by your GP Supervisor.

External Clinical Teaching Visits

What is an ECTV?

An ECTV is a teaching and learning session for General Practice Registrars, conducted by a visiting Medical Educator for CCCGPT, who will provide feedback on clinical skills by direct observation of General Practice Consultations.

How many ECTVs do I need during my training?

GP Registrars are required by the RACGP to have a minimum of 5 such visits during their training. Usually this means 2 visits each in Terms 1 & 2 (FTE first 12 months of GP Training) and 1 visit in Term 3 and/or 4.

Financial Assistance

What does the Financial Assistance Cover?

CCCGPT Financial Assistance Policy states that CCCGPT will assist GP Registrars with the following costs associated with completing their educational requirements:

Initial relocation to the region
Further relocation within the region
Communication with CCCGPT
Accommodation
Meeting the requirements of the educational program

For Further details, please see CCCGPT's Financial Policy

How much will CCCGPT contribute to my expenses?

CCCGPT will pay a base subsidy of $1500.00 per year to all Registrars and some centres will also recieve the CCCGPT Location Incentive.

Reimbursement for attendence at non-CCCGPT Educational Events

CCCGPT will provide a maximum of $800.00 per annum towards the costs of non-CCCGPT educational events. The course must be discussed with and approved by your Director of Medical Education.

Leave Entitlements

Do I need to apply for sick leave and holiday leave?

You do not need to apply for any lawfully entitled leave, such as holiday or regular sick leave. Any leave extending beyond your lawfully entitled leave will need to be applied for.

You will need to complete an Application for Leave for any extended sick leave (i.e. beyond your lawful entitlements).

Leave Application Process

All leave (excluding for employment-associated leave such as holiday leave and standard sick leave) must be prospectively and formally approved by your Director Medical Education and CCCGPT. Registrars are required to submit an Application for Leave

Download Application for Leave

Sitting the RACGP exams

Satisfactory completion of the vocational training program requirements and successful completion of the examination/s enables eligibility for the award of of FRACGP and/or FACRRM and recognition by Medicare Australia as a General Practitioner.

To be eligible for enrolment in the different components of the RACGP exam, Registrars must successfuly complete:

GPT1 to qualify to sit the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT)
GPT2 to qualify to sit the Key Feature Problem Questions and the Clinical component (OSCE).
Hospital year or equivalent RPL

These training requirements must be completed by the date specified by the RACGP. If Registrars complete units after the closure of the enrolment period but before the date specified by the RACGP, the College will apply provisional enrolment procedures.

Sitting the ACRRM Exams

To be eligible for ACRRM exam components (years 2-4 of training) Registrar must complete or obtain RPL for two years of training.

NOTE: Your RPL will be assessed by the ACRRM censor based on its own merits. We advise you to contact ACRRM to discuss the content of your RPL prior to its submission.

The components of ACRRM's assessment are:

Multiple Source Feedback - Practice or Hospital based (timing elected by Registrar)
Multiple Choice Questions - twice yearly (dates set by ACRRM)
MiniCEX - Practice or Hospital based (regigstrars enrol on a term by term basis - their choice of term)
STAMPS (Clinical OSCE's) - Can be completed after everything else

Online Enrolment via GPRime

What is On Line Enrolment?

Registrars must enrol or re-enrol on line in the beginning of each term of training. This process allows CCCGPT to efficiently plan the movement of registrars between placements within each LTG, ensuring that each registrar receives a placement appropriate to his/her stage of training and in accordance with CCCGPT policies.

Do I need to enrol?

All registrars are required to enrol online. The exceptions are those who are on their:

2nd 6 months of their Hospital term
2nd 6 months of their Advanced Rural Skills Post Term
Currently completing an extension awaiting fellowship term

If you are required to enrol, you will receive an email from CCCGPT informing you of the opening and closing of the enrolment period. Enrolment is open for a two month period, April/May and August/September (for existing Registrars) and October/November for new Registrars.

I haven't received notification that I should enrol?

If you haven't recevied notification from CCCGPT regarding enrolment, and you believe you should, please contact CCCGPT Head Office.

Do I enrol if I am on Leave?

Yes, you will you need to enrol if you are looking to take leave from the program, or are currently in leave looking to stay on leave or return to training.

Is there anything I need to do before enrolling?

You are required to discuss your plans for future enrolment with your Director of Medical Education before completing your enrolment. Please do not enrol until you have done so.

What if my plans change after I have completed enrolment?

Any information you give during enrolment is not binding. If your plans change after you have completed enrolment, then inform your Local Training office by email or phone.