2026.2 Placements – applications open 20 April

From this date, registrars can begin applying to practices and attending interviews. Practices cannot make offers before 28 April. 

For a full overview of key dates, refer to the Placement timeline 2026.2. 

Please keep an eye on your emails for any updates and next steps. If you have questions, contact your training coordinator. 

Key dates 

• 10 April – Final training capacity and registrar group allocation confirmed 

• 20 April – Applications open. Registrars can begin applying and interviews can begin. Practices cannot make offers before 28 April 

• 28 April – Practices can begin making offers 

• 1 June – MPN deadline for 2026.2 

Incentive payments available from 2026.1

Three government incentive payments are available from 2026.1 to support registrars’ transition from the hospital sector to GP training. 

Salary incentive (GPT1 only): Registrars undertaking their first six-month core general practice training term (GPT1) may be eligible to receive $5000 (FTE) per month. 

In addition to the GPT1 salary incentive, registrars may be able to access the following payments during training: 

Study leave incentive: Registrars can access up to five days (FTE) per training year for exam preparation and professional development, paid at NTCER base rates + 12% super + 10% loading. 

To be eligible, study leave must be arranged with their employer in advance as unpaid leave. Payments are made monthly in arrears and unused leave does not accrue. 

Parental leave incentive: Primary carers can receive up to 20 weeks (FTE). Secondary carers can receive up to two weeks. Payments are based on NTCER rates + 12% super + 10% loading. 

All payments are pro-rated for part-time registrars and are administered by the RACGP on behalf of Services Australia. Registrars are responsible for managing their own taxation and superannuation obligations. 

Registrars’ training coordinators can guide them in how to access these incentive payments. The eligibility and criteria are available via the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s GP Training Incentive Payments webpage and the AGPT Registrar Handbook.  

What do registrars say causes burnout?

With many registrars experiencing burnout, researchers turned to registrars themselves to explore the stressors they face. 

They spoke with registrars, supervisors, medical educators and training coordinators to understand the pressures confronting registrars. 

Their responses revealed that registrars face high demands – particularly in relation to workload. These pressures are compounded by a lack of autonomy, time, clinical resources and financial strain. Broader factors, such as the supportiveness of the practice, messages from medical culture, and professional isolation may also contribute. 

Dr Shaun Prentice, a psychologist and the project lead, says the results highlight the importance of a coordinated approach between registrars, practices, and training and regulatory systems to support registrars and GPs more broadly.  

By consolidating this information, the study provides a map of the key threats to registrar wellbeing. Through his role with the GP Training Research unit, Dr Prentice is supporting the use of these findings to inform the RACGP's registrar wellbeing initiatives, many of which are available in the new RACGP Wellbeing Hub. 

You can read the full study now for free in the Australian Journal of General Practice. 

Nominate your colleagues for an RACGP Award

Nominations for the 2026 RACGP Awards are now open – an opportunity to celebrate outstanding work in GP training. 

Deborah Docking won the Dr Jeremy Bunker Award for Outstanding Achievement in General Practice Training in 2025. 

A practice manager at Pioneer and one of South Australia's inaugural PMLOs, Deborah says winning was a surprise. 'I didn't know I had been nominated, so I was completely speechless when told I had won… It was a humbling experience.' 

She hopes the recognition shines a light on practice managers everywhere: 'I see this award as not only recognising my endeavours but also the wider practice manager community and the important role they play.' 

To those considering nominating a colleague, Deborah says: 'Do it.’ 

‘The reward is letting that colleague know their effort is seen and valued.' 

Nominations close 1 June 2026.

General Practice Supervision Australia (GPSA) invites you to take part in ENGAGE: Supervision Matters and help shape the future of general practice supervision. 

By sharing your experiences, you will help ensure GPSA’s advocacy and member support remain practical, relevant, and focused on improving supervisor satisfaction, wellbeing and workforce retention across the sector. 

The survey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete. Most questions are checkbox responses, with the  option to provide additional comments if you wish. Completing the survey counts as one hour of 'Reviewing Performance' CPD.

Wellbeing Hub

Explore the RACGP Wellbeing Hub for tailored wellbeing resources designed to support members.

 

Contact us

If you have any questions about the information in this newsletter, please contact your local training team.