What you need to know before you sit your RACGP fellowship exams

Come 31 December 2021 new restrictions will be coming in for doctors who are going to be sitting their RACGP fellowship exams. The new restrictions will affect doctors that are currently on programs such as the MDRAP program. Doctors on the MDRAP will have to apply for one of the below eligible programs. MDRAP is to facilitate access for doctors GP experience while applying too and gaining access on a training program.

Eligibility to sit RACGP exams.

To be eligible to sit the RACGP fellowship exams, candidates must be on one of the follow pathways towards fellowship.

The pathways are:

• Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) registrar
• Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) registrar
• General Practice Experience (Practice Eligible)
• Practice Experience Program
• Specialist Pathway Program
• Specialist Recognition Program

All enrolments are subject to eligibility audits conducted by the RACGP at the end of the enrolment period. Therefore, if you are found not eligible and do not meet the criteria, you will automatically be withdrawn from sitting he exams and will be subject to a $100 withdrawal fee per exam segment.

How many exam attempts can you have?

Candidates can have six enrolments over a period of three years to pass all three Fellowship exam segments (AKT, KFP and clinical assessment). This period does not include approved leave from the RACGP. Candidates who fail to pass exams within this timeframe will not be eligible for FRACGP.

Therefore, you will have three years and six possible exam cycles to pass all three exams. Due to the prerequisite for the clinical exam, if you pass the AKT and KFP by the sixth cycle, you will only have one attempt at the clinical examination.

Medical Board registration

All candidates must hold current Medical Board registration throughout the assessment process. Candidates must inform the RACGP of any restrictions on their practice of changes to their medical registration.

Clinical examination

Due to COVID-19, the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) had to be modified due to restrictions. Therefore, the next exam implemented is the Remote Clinical Exam (RCE).

RCE is delivered entirely remotely and therefore not impacted by COVID-10 restrictions, allowing all eligible to complete the clinical examination.