Programs >> Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP)

 

Pre-Fellowship

Program (PFP)

Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP)

The Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) was announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget Strengthening Medicare Initiative, replacing the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP).

The Australian Government is investing $30.5 million in the PFP pilot, over two financial years (2023-24 to 2024-25) to support Overseas Trained Doctors and Foreign Graduates of an Accredited Medical School (also known collectively as International Medical Graduates (IMGs)) who are temporary or permanent residents of Australia, and other non-vocationally recognised (non-VR) doctors to:

  • Gain valuable general practice experience prior to joining a general practitioner College-led Fellowship pathway with either the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
  • Work in primary care and remain in rural and remote communities
  • IMGs with provisional or limited registration will receive funding support for supervision and learning and development.

The PFP differs from the MDRAP in a number of critical ways including:

  • Doctors will be able to practice in all Distribution Priority Areas (DPAs) including those in outer metropolitan areas.
  • Practices will be prioritised dependent on workforce need by the Health Workforce Needs Assessment.
  • Participating practices need to be accredited, meeting minimum safety and quality standards under the National General Practice Accreditation (NGPA) Scheme.
  • Participating practices need to be accredited, or working towards accreditation, as a training practice with ACRRM or RACGP.
  • Smaller rural practices will receive additional (supervisory) financial support with greater support for doctors requiring level 1 supervision through increased supervision payments.
  • Only IMGs (other than those with general registration) will receive financial support under the program.
  • Doctors will have their readiness for Fellowship training reviewed every 3 months and this should see most doctors shift to being on a pathway to specialist recognition sooner.

How to apply for a PFP placement

If you are seeking PFP opportunities in rural or remote Western Australia,  Rural Health West can help.

Rural Health West administers the PFP in Western Australia. Please contact our team on [email protected] if you have any queries.

For comprehensive information please see link to Guidelines.

PFP guidelines

More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP)

The More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) has closed to new applicants. The MDRAP provided support and training towards joining a college fellowship for doctors who are temporary or permanent residents of Australia and not vocationally recognised. In the 2023-24 Budget the Australian Government decided to replace the MDRAP with the Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP). The PFP will also support doctors working in areas of service access need who are seeking to move into fellowship training.

    • Doctors who are currently participating on the MDRAP are not eligible to apply for the PFP.
    • Current MDRAP candidates will continue on the program for the remainder of their placement period.