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Prevocational General Practice Placements Program

The Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) offers up to 280 voluntary, supervised placements per annum for junior doctors and aims to encourage them to take up general practice as a career.

Background

The PGPPP commenced in January 2005.

Under the PGPPP, placements are available in rural and remote areas (RRMA 3 - 7 locations) as well as designated urban areas (such as outer metropolitan areas and Districts of Workforce Shortage). Placements can also be undertaken in Aboriginal Medical Services, Indigenous health services, refugee health services, migrant health services and other areas of medical service need regardless of their location.

Funding is provided for salaries, supervision and other infrastructure requirements to support the educational experience of junior doctors. Funding is also provided to hospitals for salary and recruitment costs for backfilling purposes.

Program target group

Junior doctors who are undertaking hospital training, but not yet enrolled in a speciality, are the target group for this initiative. Generally the target group will be postgraduate years 2 and 3. There is flexibility to include later postgraduate years, and interns, subject to the agreement of the postgraduate medical education council in each state/territory.

How the program works

The program is managed by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Royal Australia College of General Practitioners on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing. A National Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from general practice and medical organisations, provides policy advice to the department and program guidance to the managing organisations.

Further information

For further information regarding details of this program please contact:

Leanne Renfree (Program Manager)
Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
Phone: 03 9349 7800
Email: l.renfrey@acrrm.org.au

Tullia Chung-Tilley (Program Manager)
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Phone: 03 8699 0550
Email: tullia.chung-tilley@racgp.org.au