General Practice
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Competition
Moderate
Qualification
FRACGP
Training duration
3–4 years full-time (Australian General Practice Training — AGPT), with part-time options.
Applications
Annual intake for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) programme — one application round per cycle. The College states applications generally open from March to April each year. The 2027 cycle opened 3 March 2026, closed 14 April 2026, and is now finished: all 2027 places were allocated in that main intake, with no second round. As at August 2026 no 2028 dates are published — the College invites an expression of interest for the 2028 programme instead. Check racgp.org.au for intake dates each year. ACRRM runs FOUR rolling intake cycles a year (its 2027 guide replaced the old semester model) — check acrrm.org.au for the current cycle.
Selection format
From 2026: no referees required for the RACGP AGPT process. Selection uses a single online assessment in a situational-judgement format, completed remotely at a self-scheduled time within the assessment window — replacing the previous Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) and CAAKT. Applicants nominate training pathway and region preferences. VERIFIED from both colleges: the Casper assessment applies exclusively to RACGP applicants — ACRRM applicants (including those funded through AGPT) instead complete the ACRRM selection process: a five-essay written suitability assessment (40% of the score) then a six-station multiple mini-interview (60%), with unscored reference checks. Check racgp.org.au for the current format.
When to apply
No postgraduate-year floor applies for AGPT entry — the published eligibility is general registration by the start of training plus residency or an eligible visa (2027 Program Guide v7.4.26). The "PGY2 certification" sometimes cited is a downstream first-GP-term milestone, not an entry requirement. RACGP AGPT has a General Pathway (metro/rural mix) and a Rural Pathway (MM2–7 only).
Competition
GP training has had strong government support with expanded positions. Rural and remote training positions are actively incentivised with financial bonuses. Metropolitan positions can still be competitive.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Broad clinical rotations — general medicine, emergency, psychiatry, O&G, paediatrics
- Communication skills and patient-centred care evidence
Rural & regional
Rural, regional, and remote experience
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACGP.
First Nations
Selection points and pathways for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori applicants
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACGP.
Academic
Exams, qualifications, courses, and teaching
- RACGP Fellowship Examinations — KFP (Key Feature Problems) and AKT (Applied Knowledge Test) completed during training
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACGP.
Extracurricular
Leadership and roles beyond clinical work
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACGP.
Distinction
Prizes, awards, and academic standing
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACGP.
Eligibility & application
Prerequisites, referees, interviews, and fees
- Online assessment — situational-judgement format, remote and self-scheduled (replaced the MMI and CAAKT from 2026)
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACGP.
Recent updates
Verified 2026-08-05 against the College intake-dates page: the 2027 cycle is confirmed closed with all places allocated in the main intake, and NO 2028 dates are published yet — the College currently invites an expression of interest for 2028 rather than naming dates, and states only that applications generally open from March to April annually. The application window here was rewritten to say so rather than leave a passed date in the present tense.
PGY-floor question resolved (2027 Program Guide v7.4.26, re-verified 14 July): there is NO postgraduate-year floor for AGPT entry — eligibility is general registration by commencement plus residency/eligible visa; "AMC PGY2 certification" is a first-GP-term milestone you can complete during the hospital training year, explicitly not required before applying. The online assessment is the Casper situational judgement test (Acuity Insights); the nine assessed competencies are unchanged. No referees or employment history required.
Re-verified against racgp.org.au: 2027 program applications opened 3 March 2026, close 14 April 2026 (11:30pm AEST); all 2027 places allocated in the single main round. Reported fees: application free, $190 assessment fee if progressing, $525 offer-acceptance fee (verify on racgp.org.au). Up to six pathway/region preferences. First Nations: no published selection-stage preference found for AGPT; the Yagila Wadamba program provides exam support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars (post-entry support). A rural-pathway exemption mechanism exists with the same closing date.
RACGP AGPT major changes for 2026 intake: (1) No referees required in application. (2) Single online assessment replaces the MMI and CAAKT. Application window for 2026 intake was 3 March – 8 April 2025.
Indicative only. Check the RACGP website for current information.
Official resources
RACGP AGPT Program
AGPT program overview, pathways, and application information
RACGP Intake Dates
Application intake dates — check each year for current opening and closing dates
RACGP Fellowship Examinations
KFP and AKT examination information and preparation resources
ACRRM (Rural Medicine)
Alternative fellowship pathway for rural generalist medicine
State workforce data
Queensland Health’s medi-nav is the only state health department currently publishing the workforce and selection figures this section shows. We have not verified equivalent data for Tasmania yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.
Fields of practice
Community discussions
Recent discussion about General Practice training from Australian doctors.
Search r/ausdocs and r/doctorsofaustraliaRequirements, windows, and criteria change annually. Verify with Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.