Training and educational support
The RACGP is committed to supporting registrars to achieve their training outcomes and satisfy the requirements of Fellowship. Throughout the training program you can access a variety of support for your education and training.
Support for particular groups of registrars
Rural registrars
If you’re working in an MMM 3–7 area, we recommend you live where you work to connect with your rural community.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars
Individualised mentorship, cultural support, exam preparation support, tailored supervision and practice support is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars. Your program officer can help you access this.
Culturally and linguistically diverse registrars
Training in communication skills, orientation to Ahpra’s , and individualised support is available for culturally and linguistically diverse registrars. Your program officer can help you access this support.
±«سمتسئµal support
If your program team have concerns about your performance and progress, they’ll work with you to identify and implement the most appropriate, targeted educational support or intervention for your circumstances.
Performance issues that require support may be minor and transient or more significant and persistent; there may be a single issue or multiple issues.
Concerns about performance and progress might involve:
- communication skills
- clinical skills
- cognitive skills
- organisational, integrative and collaborative skills
- professional behaviour
- other serious issues that might be reportable, including:
- health and personal issues
- work environment and systems issues.
Our educational support has a stepped approach (Figure 4):
- early identification of registrars who need extra assistance
- provide appropriate assistance and support
- implement an educational intervention (eg focused learning intervention)
- implement remediation.
Figure 4. Approach to educational support when there is a concern about performance and progress
Focused learning intervention
Your ME, supervisor or external assessor may identify learning needs that require a focused learning intervention (FLI).
You’ll work with your program team, training site staff and supervisor to develop a FLI specific to your needs. This collaborative approach is an important part of the process to ensure your particular needs are addressed.
Everyone involved in developing the FLI must agree on the timeframe for completion.
Unfortunately, not all registrars who complete a FLI will demonstrate sufficient improvement. If this is the case, you may be required to:
- undertake another FLI
- undertake remediation
- withdraw from training.
Remediation
At the end of a FLI, if you haven’t demonstrated sufficient improvement, and if we believe that you may benefit from additional program time to address the performance concerns, we may decide that a remediation term is required. Remediation is a critical educational intervention to help address concerns about performance and ultimately help you progress towards Fellowship. We'll work with you to develop a remediation plan.
The training program team will refer to the progress review committee to approve remediation.
While waiting for the remediation term approval we may place you on a period of leave if we identify a potential safety risk to you or the community if you continue training without remediation in place. Your program team will work closely with you if this is the case.
If the remediation application is approved, your program time will be suspended for the period of remediation, and you’ll be unable to enrol in or sit Fellowship exams, even if you are otherwise eligible. Your progress will be monitored throughout the period of remediation.
A remediation term is usually undertaken while continuing to work in community general practice. Following the assessment of your learning requirements, an individualised plan will be developed in consultation with you. The plan may involve additional education, supervision, assessment and support to improve your areas of learning need. Any additional costs associated with a remediation term are self-funded.