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Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) FAQ
The Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) enables non-vocationally (non-VR) registered doctors to gain general practice experience prior to joining a General Practitioner (GP) college-led Fellowship pathway.
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What do I need to be eligible for PFP?
What Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Items can I claim?
What financial supports are available?
Who is eligible for financial support?
What will I have to do during my placement to remain on the program?
Who is eligible for PFP?
The PFP is open to International Medical Graduates (IMGs) and other non-VR doctors who are Australian citizens, permanent residents and temporary residents. Doctors can have general, provisional or limited registration.
Doctors wanting to gain exposure to general practice and Australian medical graduates are also eligible to apply.
What do I need to be eligible for PFP?
To be eligible for a PFP placement, a doctor must:
- hold current registration with the Medical Board of Australia
- have an offer of employment and the necessary skills and experience to perform the role
- provide evidence of appropriate support in place to meet supervision requirements if applicable
- undertake GP professional development activities, including compulsory modules
- participate in a review of readiness for fellowship training every three months, and
- take active steps to join a GP College-led Fellowship pathway within two years.
How long can I be on PFP?
The maximum placement duration on the PFP is two years.
Where can I practise?
To be eligible for a PFP placement, the practice must be located within:
- a Distribution Priority Area, or
- classified as an Aboriginal Medical Service or that are the subject of a Ministerial direction under s19(2) or s19(5) of the Act, or
- classified as an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Service or be the subject of Ministerial direction under s19(2) or a s19(5) of the Act.
What Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Items can I claim?
PFP participants have access to a range of medical practitioner and prescribed medical practitioner items. A quick claiming guide for general attendance items (including telehealth) for medical practitioners and prescribed medical practitioners is available on MBS online Note AN.7.2 | Medicare Benefits Schedule (health.gov.au).
What financial supports are available?
Financial support is provided in the form of funding for supervision and learning and development for eligible participants. Supervision funding increases with greater rurality and higher levels of supervision required. Rural Workforce Agencies will review funding need every three months.
Who is eligible for financial support?
ONLY IMGs on limited or provisional registration are eligible for financial support under the PFP. Read the PFP Financial Support information sheet here.
Australian Medical Graduate doctors and IMGs on general registration are NOT ELIGIBLE to receive financial support under the PFP.
What will I have to do during my placement to remain on the program?
- Adhere to the requirements of PFP.
- Engage with RDN to complete your plan detailing supervision, support and learning and development required.
- Support the preparation of an individual learning and development plan.
- Complete required foundation modules within three months of commencement on the PFP.
- Meet the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requirements for Continuing Professional Development.
- In conjunction with RDN, review readiness for fellowship training every three months.
- A minimum of one application to join a GP College-led training program per year (if eligible).
Will I have to be supervised?
PFP applicants will have varying general practice experience. Depending on a doctor’s prior general practice experience, PFP participants may require supervision.
All doctors on PFP who require supervision to maintain their medical registration must continue to work within the conditions set by the Medical Board and administered by AHPRA.
How do I apply?
Email RDN's Workforce Team at recruit@rdnhealth.org or call 02 4924 8000 for more information.