Hello from the RACGP Foundation & Research team.
 
It is with great pleasure that we introduce the inaugural edition of our quarterly newsletter for Departments of General Practice across Australia. Each edition of the newsletter will feature updates from RACGP, including research highlights, upcoming events, and recent publications. We will also provide information on grant opportunities, research funding, advocacy and other resources available to support general practice research. Our intent is to foster strong communication and collaboration in order to enhance our collective knowledge and advance the field of general practice. We hope you find this publication of value and we warmly welcome your feedback and suggestions. If there is any information or there are improvements you’d like to see, please feel free to contact us at foundation@racgp.org.au. 

The RACGP Foundation & Research team works to enable GP-led research to improve the sustainability of general practice and the health and wellbeing of our communities.
 
We support the RACGP Expert Committee- Research (REC-R), chaired by A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis. This committee provides advice and policy direction on research-related issues in general practice. This committee also designs and oversees implementation of the RACGP Research Strategy, which aims to create a culture and systems that support the development of general practice research in Australia, advancing the discipline and leading to more informed policy and practice, and improved health.
 
To support researchers and organisations conducting research in general practice, our team also manages the National Research and Evaluation Ethics Committee.

Additionally, we manage the RACGP Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the RACGP, including its annual research grants and awards program.

It has been wonderful to be able to connect with many of you recently through group and one-on-one meetings, and we are looking forward to maintaining this regular communication.. Your input into what we do is critical, and we appreciate your feedback about the important issues you’re facing.

We’d also like to introduce you to the other RACGP research teams you may connect with from time to time, working across academic posts, education research, the Registrars’ Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) project, and GP Training.

Education Research team key contacts

• Dr Craig Fry – Senior Manager, Evaluation, Quality & Research  
• Dr Lyndon Walker – Senior Education Researcher 
• A/Prof Nancy Sturman – Senior Academic Advisor 
• Dr Sophie Vasiliadis – Research Assistant 
• Merci Ikeda – Education Research Unit Coordinator (Education Research Grants) 
• Georgia Franklin – Education Research Coordinator (Academic Posts) 
• Lisa Costello – Education Research Administrator  

• Prof. Parker Magin – Senior Manager, GP Training Research (National contact)
• Dr Linda Klein – Manager, GP Training Research (National contact)
• Dr Angelo D’Amore – Research Manager (Victorian contact)
• Shaun Prentice – Senior Research Assistant (South Australian contact)
• Dr Michael Bentley – Senior Research Assistant (Tasmanian contact)

RACGP Foundation Research Grants & Awards
 
The 2023 RACGP Foundation Research Grants & Awards round closed 1 May. This year we were pleased to offer a record $700,000+ in funding, including $250,000 through our inaugural Digital Health Grant offered in partnership with Medibank Better Health Foundation. We received a total of 64 submissions, which are currently being reviewed by our National Research Awards Committee. We expect to announce the successful grant recipients at WONCA in October.
 
To inform our grants and awards offering in 2024 and beyond, the RACGP Foundation will be consulting with key stakeholders, including Departments of General Practice, to identify gaps in GP research and funding, and to determine priorities for future research. This is to ensure that our annual RACGP Foundation Research Grants & Awards round best serves the needs of general practice and our communities. We expect that this exercise will beingin mid to late June.

Education Research Grants
 
The RACGP is pleased to have announced the four successful research teams in the 2023 Education Research Grants round who were awarded grants via a competitive process. The successful grant recipients will undertake research projects aiming to address important national and regional educational questions to improve general practice medical education and training, over a period of 12 months from 17 April 2023 to 16 April 2024. Visit the Education Research Grants webpage for details on the successful teams and projects.  
 
The RACGP is currently in the process of selecting the Education Research priorities for the next Education Research Grants round, following submissions and feedback from the sector. The next step will be the call for Expressions of Interest. Information about eligibility and selection criteria, and the EOI process, will be available on the Education Research Grants webpage when the round opens on 29 May. The college is hoping to offer the option of some extended projects of up to two years in duration for the 2024 round.  
 
The RACGP will be hosting a webinar to answer any questions about the application process in June (date TBC). Interested applicants are encouraged to email gpedresearch@racgp.org.au to register their interest for the webinar and submit any questions ahead of the webinar. Calendar invites with the zoom link will be provided following registration. 

The RACGP, through the RACGP Foundation, will be offering two top-up PhD scholarships for GPs (including GP registrars) undertaking a PhD in general practice in 2024, with applications opening in October.
 
The RACGP will provide top-up funding of $25,000 per student plus an additional $5,000 per annum for use towards professional development and research translation activities for PhD candidates with a base scholarship or University co-funding. Funding will be for a maximum of four years for full-time candidates and pro-rata for a maximum of seven years for part-time candidates. The RACGP Foundation & Research team is currently working with REC-R on the finer details, including selection criteria, and we thank those of you who have provided input to this process. We will share these with you once these are confirmed.

2023 Academic Posts
 
The mid-term report for 2023 Academic Post registrars is due on 14 July. Registrars will be provided access to this form via SmartyGrants in early June. University supervisors will be required to review these reports and provide some information on the registrar’s progress.  
 
Registrars currently in the program will be attending the AAAPC Annual Research Conference on 17-18 August in Melbourne. Their attendance will be funded by the RACGP. This will also be combined with their second face-to-face workshop, which will take place on the Tuesday and Wednesday before, also in Melbourne. Universities are encouraged to discuss this with their registrars and encourage flexibility in working arrangements and teaching commitments within this fortnight.  
 
University supervisors need to be aware of the spending guidelines for the $8,000 professional development and research funding afforded to each registrar. This can be found on the Academic Post website, or you can contact Georgia at gpedresearch@racgp.org.au with any questions. 
 
2024 Academic Posts
 
Applications for 2024 positions are now open and will close on Monday 17 July 2023 at midnight. The RACGP is pleased to be offering the PhD Academic Posts once again and will have two positions available for registrars who have been accepted for a PhD or who have provided a detailed formal PhD plan, including a supportive supervisory team and intention to submit a PhD application, in their academic post application. This specialised post will allow successful candidates to reduce teaching requirements and focus on research activities.  
 
The college is hosting webinars in each region with representatives from all universities and look forward to connecting you with prospective applicants.
 
Outcomes will be announced in September.  

With the transition to college-led GP training, a team of researchers have transitioned across from the Regional Training Organisations (in particular, GP Synergy) to the RACGP’s GP Training Research department. This department sits within the GP Training Business Unit funded through the AGPT program. The main role of this department includes:

• the rollout of and reporting from Registrars’ Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) project, and undertaking associated research
• undertaking research related to GP Training, and its dissemination and translation (to ultimately improve the way GP registrars are trained)
• to collaborate and communicate with key stakeholders, such as medical educators and University Departments of General Practice
• to provide support in GP registrar training for: delivery of the research curriculum, development of a research culture, and pathways for research involvement for registrars (including academic post registrars), supervisors, Medical Educators and medical students.

In line with RACGP’s new vision and education model for specialist GP and rural generalist training in 2024, the college has identified pipeline development as a key focus. RACGP’s National Lead Medical Educator – Training Pipeline, A/Prof Lawrie McArthur, said “In this newly created role, I am conceptualising the big picture of the 12-15 years medical training journey, clearly developing the pipelines/pathways and identifying the key elements,” he said.
 
“From senior secondary school interest, through university undergraduate and medical degree, prevocational junior doctor, postgraduate specialist GP training to post Fellowship. What elements, milestones, resource, support and advocacy are essential, evidence-based and needed?”
 
The pipeline into rural generalist scope of practice is gaining traction across Australia; however, pipelines into general practice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and rural practice are less clear. The RACGP is mindful that areas such as aged care and mental health are also national priorities, and we need to build our future general practice community to be ready to manage these needs.
 
The RACGP Strategic Operating Plan cites the pipeline of general practice as a key priority, and this is being embedded across the organisation, for example within our educational model, our research and evaluation framework etc. The RACGP will remain mindful of other strategies, blueprints and papers including the national 10 Year Primary Health Care Plan, National Rural Medical Workforce Strategy, Rural health multidisciplinary health training, Australian Medical Council Accreditation imperatives and the ANZ Medical Deans action plans. We know that tackling this issue involves all of us working together, and we are keen to collaborate.
 
The RACGP is very interested in hearing from medical school clinical academics and Departments of General Practice regarding what elements you believe are important in delivering and developing generalist medical competencies to build a sustainable and strong primary health care workforce. If you would like to provide feedback or discuss further, please contact A/Prof McArthur directly on 0400 366 955 or at lawrie.mcarthur@racgp.org.au.