Rejected: Record number of doctors miss out on GP training

THE expanded Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program is being outpaced by demand as at least 289 eligible doctors are set to miss out on one of the 1000 places available for 2012.

General Practice Education and Training (GPET) announced today it had received 1289 applications for places in the 2012 intake, making this the sixth consecutive year of record applicant numbers, up from 1171 last year and 1007 the year before.

GPET also received a record number of applications (841) from  Australian medical graduates, up from 680 in 2011.

The AGPT program will be expanded to offer 1100 places in 2013 and 1200 places from 2014 onwards.

GPET chair Professor Simon Willcock said the high number of applications reflected the quality of training provided under the AGPT program and the role General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) and the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) had played in increasing awareness about the benefits of a career in general practice.

“With medical students and graduates having more exposure than ever before to clinical experiences in general practice, it is not surprising that the AGPT program is becoming more popular as a career pathway for Australian graduates,” he said.

“The Commonwealth continues to support the training of a strong primary healthcare workforce as a central component of its health reform agenda.

“The AGPT places for 2012 will contribute significantly to the achievement of the government’s goal.”

This year’s applications included nine eligible applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and 23 from the Australian Defence Force.

Strong interest in rural and remote medicine has continued, with 42% of applicants nominating a preference for rural training.