Medical doctors and specialists programs and initiatives

Through the APED Program, advanced specialist trainees doing their emergency medicine training can work under supervision in a private hospital for 12 months and access relevant Medicare items. This helps increase the number of emergency medicine specialists in Australia.

The Flexible Approach to Training in Expanded Settings (FATES) program funds non-general practitioner specialist medical training approaches. It aims to broaden the skills of the specialist workforce, bring more specialists to regional areas, and ensure all Australians can access high-quality care.

The General Practitioner Procedural Training Support Program (GPPTSP) aims to improve maternity services for women living in rural and remote areas. It supports general practitioners (GPs) in those areas to gain procedural skills in anaesthetics and obstetrics.

This initiative reduces outstanding Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners who live and work in rural, remote or very remote areas of Australia.

As part of the 2021-22 Budget, the Australian Government announced the new John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program. This program will better streamline and coordinate medical training in regions and fund new rural primary care rotations to boost training capacity for the next generation of doctors.

The Junior Doctor Training Program (JDTP) supports education and supervision for junior doctors in rural primary health care settings and private hospitals. This helps provide a continued supply of doctors to deliver health services across Australia. It is part of our Stronger Rural Health Strategy.

This program is for doctors who are temporary or permanent residents of Australia and not vocationally recognised. Doctors on this program get support and training towards joining a college fellowship program to become vocationally recognised.

The Non-VR FSP supports doctors to gain their fellowship. This increases access to high-quality primary health care and enables doctors to register as specialist general practitioner and access higher Medicare rebates.

The Other Medical Practitioner (OMPs) programs provide access to higher Medicare rebates for doctors without fellowship who deliver services in approved locations and meet eligibility requirements.

We have funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service program since the 1930s. It provides emergency aeromedical evacuation services, medical consultations and supplies, and dental and mental health outreach services to rural and remote Australia. This program is part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy.

The RPGP helps cover the cost of professional development for procedural general practitioners (GPs) who work in rural and remote areas. This ensures people who live in rural and remote areas have access to highly qualified health professionals.

The Special Approved Placements Program (SAPP) provides access to Medicare rebates for doctors without fellowship who have to work in metropolitan areas due to exceptional circumstances. The program has closed to new entrants.

The Specialist Training Program supports training positions in regional, rural and remote areas, and in private facilities. This helps to improve the skills and distribution of the specialist workforce by giving participants experience of a broader range of healthcare settings.

This initiative simplifies training pathways and helps doctors to gain fellowship of one of Australia’s 2 general practice colleges. It distributes training places to ensure a continued supply of skilled doctors in rural and remote areas. It is part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy.

This initiative gives general practitioners (GPs) an opportunity to self-assess their pathology referral process using data relevant to them. It supports quality use of pathology requests, or other alternatives if they are a better choice.

The Supporting Rural Specialists in Australia program helps specialists in rural and remote Australia access educational opportunities. It provides support and training via online learning programs, and grants to rural specialists to access training not available in their home town.

The Temporary Resident Other Medical Practitioners (TROMPs) program provides access to Medicare rebates for a few long-term temporary resident doctors who do not have fellowship.