Working as a General Practitioner (GP) in Australia is extremely rewarding. These benefits come with commitment given by the General Practitioner himself. Australia has a world-class healthcare management system. Therefore, it expects the medical practitioners to be qualified, proficient and dedicated in their relevant practice fields.

There are several training programs which allow doctors to obtain Fellowship and practice in Australia. Obtaining Fellowship is a critical step in your medical career. Here let’s look at the government-approved training programs you can follow as a doctor in Australia.

What Are 3GA Programs?

3GA programs are programs that provide training to doctors who seek vocational recognition. They offer a variety of incentives to doctors including access to a Medicare Provide Number (MPN) and other benefits. 3GA programs consist of vocational recognition, vocational training, and other training programs.

Let’s learn more about 3GA training programs later. Next, let’s get to know details on Medicare Provider Number.

About Medicare Provider Number

A Medicare Provider Number (MPN) is a number that is required to access Medicare benefits, as a doctor in Australia. These numbers are in place in each practice location and professional of the medical practitioner. You need to get your MPN by filling the form available in Provider Digital Access (PDA) website.

One thing to remember is that doctors in Australia are not automatically eligible for a Medicare Provider Number. You need to fulfil the following requirements to be eligible for a MPN:

·        You should be a recognised General Practitioner (GP), consultant physician or specialist.

·        You should be in an approved placement under 3GA program of the Health Insurance Act 1973.

·        You should be a temporary resident doctor, with the exemption given under Section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973. You should be working as per this exemption.

About Section 19AA

Section 19AA of the Health Insurance Act 1973 defines doctors with Australian citizenship or PR status, can access a Medicare Provider Number once they satisfy the following:

·        Recognised as a Fellow by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)

·        Recognised as a Fellow by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)

·        Recognised as a Fellow by an Australian specialist college

·        Enrolled in an approved 3GA program.

Read the article “What is the difference between 19AA and 19AB?” for more information.

Aims of GP Fellowship Programs

GP Fellowship programs aims at achieving the following:

·        Provide a supportive transition into General Practice in Australia.

·        Provide work opportunities with a portfolio.

·        Expanding your skills to align with medical advancements in future.

 Core Principles of GP Fellowship Programs

The GP Fellowship programs in Australia work on the following core principles.

·        Ensure that trainees are well-supervised and supported all throughout the training period in order to ensure patient safety once in practice.

·        Ensure to retain the momentum in GP training so that candidates progress to GP Fellowship in a timely manner.

·        Ensure that high-quality and relevant standards are maintained when doctors provide general practice services to the Australian community.

·        Ensure that there is proper distribution of GPs across all states and suburbs in Australia, including remote and rural areas.

GP Fellowship Pathways

A doctor in Australia needs to gain one of the below Fellowships to work independently as a Specialist General Practitioner (GP):

·        FACRRM – Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

·        FRACGP – Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

There are several GP Fellowship pathways in Australia. Following are the 3GA programs available for doctors in Australia:

ACRRM Fellowship Program

·        The Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT)

·        ACRRM Independent Pathway (IP)

·        Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

ACRRM Fellowship Program

·        The Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT)

·        The RACGP Practice Experience Program (PEP)

·        Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

Other Programs

·        More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP)

·        After Hours Medical Disputing (AMDS) Programs

The Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT)

The AGPT is one of the main 3GA training programs available for doctors in Australia. Eligibility criterion for this training program include the following:

·        You need to be a permanent resident, Australian citizen or temporary resident.

·        You need to hold General Registration by the beginning of the training program.

ACRRM Independent Pathway (IP)

The ACRRM IP program provides more flexibility in terms of location and thereby addresses areas of workforce shortage.

Following are the eligibility criterion for ACRRM IP:

·        You need to be a permanent resident, Australian citizen or temporary resident.

·        You need to hold a Limited (AON), General or Provisional Registration.

Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

RVTS requires you to work in a remote or rural area, or Aboriginal Medical Service. It requires a minimum of 2 years of GP experience in your relevant practice.

To be eligible for RVTS you need to:

·        You need to hold a Limited (AON), General or Provisional Registration. (Limited: you need to be on level 3 or 4 and work in the location you are applying for)

The RACGP Practice Experience Program (PEP)

This is the standard stream with a self-directed program structure which exists to support non-vocationally registered (non-VR) doctors.

PEP eligibility criterion include the following:

·        You need to have passed the PEP Entry Assessment (PEPEA)

·        You need to hold a Limited (AON), General or Provisional Registration.

·        You need to have a job offer in a location of MMM 2 – 7.

More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP)

This program enables you to access to a Medicare program prior to moving onto a college program.

You need to have the following to be eligible for MDRAP:

·        You need to hold a Limited (AON), General or Provisional Registration.

·        You need to have a job offer in a MMM 2 – 7 and DPA location, irrespective of the fact that you are restricted from 19AB or not.

After Hours Medical Disputing (AMDS) Programs

This program allows you to train towards ACRRM or RACGP fellowships and you get to work in both regional and metropolitan areas.

AMDS eligibility criterion include the following:

·        You need to hold a Limited (AON), General or Provisional Registration.

·        You need to hold an Advanced Level Support (ALS) – Level 1 course certificate.

·        You need to have a minimum of 2 years post-graduate experience in emergency & accident care, medicine, surgery, and paediatrics.

GP Fellowship Training Program Fees

The following table depicts the fees structure of the 3GA programs.

Conclusion

Following the 3GA training programs are essential in order to get access to medicare benefits. It is the only way you can get a Medicare Provider Number working as a doctor in Australia.

Medfuture provides great opportunities for qualified GPs and medical practitioners to find the best-suited job according to their experience and skills level.

Visit our website to find out a list of the current doctor jobs available across all states and suburbs in Australia.

Here are a few related articles for you to read:

https://medfuture.com.au/blog/post/what-is-fracgp-and-how-to-gain-a-fellowship-in-2022

https://medfuture.com.au/blog/post/racgps-practice-experience-program-pep-specialist-stream

https://medfuture.com.au/blog/post/pursuing-a-career-in-general-practice-in-australia