Earlier this month I attended the NT Rural and Remote Medicine Conference in Darwin, hosted by the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) NT. The program brought together rural doctors, health professionals and community leaders to focus on the challenges and opportunities of delivering care in remote settings, particularly within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Key themes included workforce sustainability, the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, culturally safe supervision and innovative models of care. Sessions on procedural skills, veteran health, advocacy and training pathways highlighted the diversity of rural practice and the importance of collaboration across agencies.
 
RACGP Rural’s presence ensured that the voice of general practice was represented, and it was a valuable opportunity to strengthen partnerships with colleagues across the NT.
 
This month we also welcomed the recent announcement by the Department of Health and Aged Care confirming formal recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine. This milestone reflects years of advocacy and acknowledges the breadth of skills and contributions rural GPs make in their communities. RACGP Rural will continue working with government to ensure recognition is implemented in a way that strengthens general practice and supports sustainable models of rural care.
 
On Tuesday 14 October we host our annual RACGP Rural member forum. This is a chance for members across the country to come together, connect with colleagues, and hear the latest updates from RACGP Rural.

We are delighted to have a video address from Professor Jenny May to open the event, followed by our keynote speaker Dr Ineke Wever, who works on Thursday Island and brings deep insight into the realities of providing care in remote communities. It promises to be an engaging evening that reflects the diversity and strength of our rural GP community. You can register here.

We’re now preparing for GP25 in Brisbane this November, where RACGP Rural will again put rural voices at the centre of the College’s flagship event. Our pre-conference workshop, ‘Empowering women in rural general practice: Leadership, advocacy and mentoring’ will highlight the vital role of women in shaping rural health, alongside our Rural Council meeting and the Rural Awards.


A/Prof Michael Clements
Chair, RACGP Rural

Empowering women in rural general practice: Leadership, advocacy and mentoring – pre-conference workshop at GP25

The Doctors for Women in Rural Medicine Committee (DWRM) is excited to be hosting a pre-conference workshop at GP25.
 
‘Empowering women in rural general practice: Leadership, advocacy and mentoring’ is an immersive, face-to-face professional development workshop for rural women GPs. The aim is to strengthen networks, build confidence, and offer tangible skills to support women in navigating and shaping their careers.
 
The session will cover chairing meetings; mentoring; how to meet with your MP (and why you should); networking; career pathways and possibilities; and an interactive panel discussing leadership from the bush, where we’ll be joined by Dr Nicole Higgins, Dr Ashe Coxon, Dr Danielle Allan, Dr Karen Nicholls and Shayne Sutton, RACGP Chief Advocacy Officer.
 
Make sure you include the workshop in your GP25 registration. If you’ve already registered for GP25 and would like to add the workshop to your registration, email the team at events@racgp.org.au.
 

Rural Generalists formally recognised

After six years of strong advocacy, Rural Generalist Medicine will be formally recognised as a specialist medical field within general practice. 
 
This landmark decision, announced by the Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler MP, follows years of dedicated advocacy by the RACGP and ACRRM, in partnership with governments, health agencies and other organisations.   
 
This is a positive step in recognising the vital work of Rural Generalists in rural and remote communities. It’s also a critical step toward securing better recognition and future remuneration that reflects the broad scope of Rural Generalist practice – including general practice, emergency care, and advanced skills in areas like anaesthesia, obstetrics or mental health. 
 
The RACGP is now working with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) to accredit the RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship (FRACGP-RG) as an approved Rural Generalist qualification. 
 
Learn more: racgp.org.au/rural-generalist 
 
Have questions? 
 
Join our webinar on Tuesday 21 October at 7.00 pm (AEST) or contact us at rg@racgp.org.au

Congratulations to our Rural Generalist New Fellows

Congratulations to our Rural Generalist New Fellows who completed FRACGP-RG in August.

Introduction to Point-of-care Ultrasound - Launceston

RACGP Rural invites you to attend an Introduction to Point-of-care Ultrasound workshop in Townsville.
 
Date: Saturday 4 October 
Time: 8.30 am – 4.30 pm
Venue: Launceston Clinical School, Level 2/41 Frankland Street, Launceston 7250
Cost: $995 for RACGP members and $695 for RACGP registrars

About the course:
 
This full-day workshop will increase your understanding of the applications of point-of-care ultrasound in the diagnostic process. Experts will guide you through its diverse applications in rural primary care. You’ll be introduced to basic techniques using advanced, high-end mobile ultrasound equipment provided by our sponsor GE HealthCare.
 
This workshop is an RACGP CPD accredited activity, eligible for 10 CPD hours (five hours Education Activity and five hours Reviewing Performance) and is approved for all categories of the Rural Procedural Grants Program.

This workshop is sponsored by our partner GE HealthCare.

New RPGP online course directory

The RACGP Rural Procedural Grants Program (RPGP) team have put together a handy list of online courses that are eligible for online grant funding.
 
Join the RPGP to access financial support and keep your procedural and emergency medicine skills up to date – so you can continue delivering vital care to your community. You may be eligible for up to $32,000 per financial year, depending on the services you're credentialed to provide. Need assistance? Email the team at rural.procedural.grants@racgp.org.au
 
To be eligible to claim, you must first be registered on the program. Visit the RPGP website to learn more.

AGPT Rural and Rural Generalist training

The Rural training team has been busy in August, supporting two key conferences.
 
WA Rural Health West Aboriginal Health Conference 2025
From 4–5 August the Western Australia Rural team attended the Rural Health West Aboriginal Health Conference in Perth. This vibrant annual event brings together voices from across rural and remote Australia to celebrate innovation, share knowledge, and strengthen cultural understanding in Aboriginal health.
It’s always a fantastic opportunity for our team to strengthen existing relations with valued stakeholders and welcome new partners and friends into the conversation. We enjoy bringing back and sharing with the broader local team fresh ideas, stronger networks, and practical strategies to support better health outcomes for Aboriginal communities throughout WA.
 
South Australia Rural Doctors Association Conference 2025
We were also proud to support the RDASA conference held in Victor Harbor from 16–17 August. The RACGP was the Silver Sponsor for the event, which attracts Rural GPs and Rural Generalists from across the state. A program of interesting and interactive CPD sessions included a presentation on toxicology with some VIP guests – live snakes! On Saturday night, RACGP Fellows Dr Raphael Torome and Dr Kevin Stanton were recognised as joint recipients of the lifetime achievement award for their years of service and dedication to the profession.

Incentivised placements for 2026.1 are now open

Looking for a rewarding training experience with extra financial support?    

With 307 sites, including Aboriginal Medical Services, these placements offer a unique chance to build your skills while supporting communities in need.  

Incentives are provided in addition to National Consistent Payments (NCP) to help cover the costs of living and training in workforce-need areas.  

Explore the full list of locations and find out more here. 

Perioperative Medicine scholarships offered

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) invites fellows to apply for one of two scholarships to undertake the ANZCA Course in Perioperative Medicine in 2026. Funded by the Alan & Kate Gibson Fellowship, the scholarship is open to anaesthetists, surgeons, intensivists, physicians and general practitioners with a strong interest in perioperative medicine and commitment to improving patient outcomes.
 
One of the scholarships is specifically for clinicians working in a regional or rural setting. Please see here for more information. Applications close on Wednesday 15 October.

These fully funded scholarships provide training in Implanon and IUD insertion for eligible health professionals, equipping you with the skills to expand contraceptive choice and support reproductive health in your community.

AUSLARC is led by Sexual and Reproductive Australia (SRHA) in partnership with The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). This initiative received grant funding from the Australian Government. It includes a national evaluation framework to support long-term impact and sustainability.

Who can apply?

• GPs
• Nurse Practitioners
• Registered Nurses
• Midwives

• Free Implanon and IUD training delivered by SRHA Sexual and Reproductive Health Organisations in every state and territory
• Travel reimbursement for eligible participants travelling more than 100 km to attend training
• Streamlined online access via a new centralised portal for registration, scholarships and reimbursement claims 

• Expand contraceptive choice
• Build workforce capacity
• Reduce unintended pregnancies
• Support rural & regional equity

Expression of Interest: Join the RACGP Rural Anaesthesia Advisory Group (RRAAG)

RACGP Rural is seeking Expressions of Interest from members to represent Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the training cohort on the RACGP Rural Anaesthesia Advisory Group (RRAAG).
 
The RRAAG provides strategic advice and clinical insight to RACGP Rural on issues relating to rural generalist anaesthesia practice, including training, workforce, policy and safety. The group includes experienced GP anaesthetists from across the country and works in close collaboration with other stakeholders.
 
We are currently looking to fill three representative roles:
 

• Tasmanian representative
• Northern Territory representative
• Training representative (GP anaesthetist trainee)

Online Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training

RACGP Rural’s Online Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST) package provides GPs with essential training to enable them to become a GP provider of Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) and provide cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-derived counselling to patients in their practice.
 
This flexible, fully online and accredited training package uses technology, peer learning groups and locally available resources to provide GPs with access to complete all the requirements of FPS ST – without leaving their home or practice. 
 
On completion, GPs can register with Medicare as FPS providers and access FPS related MBS numbers 2721, 2723, 2725 and 2727.
 
The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) is currently offering GPs a training subsidy that covers part of the cost of completing accredited Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST). The subsidy is limited and subject to availability.
 
Eligible GPs will be reimbursed $600 once they complete the requirements for the Online FPS ST package and register as GP providers of FPS with Medicare Australia. For more information on the FPS training subsidy, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the GPMHSC website.

Changes to Medicare webinar series

To support members leading up to the Medicare changes in November RACGP has joined together with Cubiko to host a series of webinars. The webinars will run from 25 September to 15 October, with the first webinar focusing on making sense of the new incentives and what they could mean for you and your practice. RACGP presenters include Dr Michael Wright, Dr Siân Goodson and Dr Ramya Raman. View the program and register.