Greetings from the RACGP Research team, and welcome to the first issue of the year.

We had an exciting 2024 as the RACGP continued to advocate for increased funding and support for GP research and academic career pathways. We undertook a consultation process to develop the RACGP Research Strategy 2025-29, outlining a vision for sustained support in GP-led research and launched the Australian General Practice Research Foundation.

We’re excited to launch this new research strategy in the coming months, and look forward to bringing you valuable insights, updates and opportunities throughout 2025.

A major new initiative to strengthen Australia’s primary care system is underway, with the launch of the National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium led by Professor Michael Kidd. The RACGP is a partner in the five-year project, which has received $5.2 million in funding through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
 
Housed at the University of New South Wales, the consortium is one of the largest research collaborations in Australian primary care and will explore how multidisciplinary, team-based care models can improve health outcomes, particularly for priority populations. It is one of seven MRFF-funded projects sharing $22 million to drive innovation in primary care.
 
Bringing together 100 investigators from general practice, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, pharmacy, Aboriginal health and allied health, the consortium will deliver evidence-based recommendations to guide future reforms. Consumers will be actively involved throughout the research process, ensuring the work remains focused on real-world impact. It aims to shape the future of primary care by generating practical, policy-relevant insights into effective, inclusive care delivery.

The RACGP supports research that is relevant to general practice policy and practice and aligns with our strategy and values. One of the ways we do this is through our research partnerships program. We’re pleased to celebrate the outcomes from these research partnerships and the impact for general practice and our community.

The RACGP is a partner with Professor Katharine Wallis and the RELEASE team at the University of Queensland on the RELEASE trial (REdressing Long-tErm Antidepressant uSE in general practice). The RELEASE resources have recently been recognised by RACGP as an Accepted Clinical Resource. They include a suite of drug-specific, step-by-step tapering plans to assist GPs in helping patients decrease and/or stop antidepressants. The tapering plans are based on hyperbolic tapering schedules in the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines.

We are now working together on implementation of the RELEASE toolkit more broadly to support GPs and patients to safely stop long-term antidepressants. Read our newsGP article for more information.

Congratulations to Professor Wallis and the team on this important work.
 

GP PhD network
The RACGP Research team is developing a network to support GPs who are currently undertaking PhDs. To join the GP PhD network please email research@racgp.org.au
 
Research grant partnerships and letters of support from RACGP
Securing funding for general practice research is challenging. The RACGP is keen to support GP-led research that is relevant to general practice policy and practice, and is well-positioned to support interpreting research findings and disseminating the results. For information on how to request a grant partnership or letter of support, click here.

GP research project noticeboard
The GP Research noticeboard provides an avenue for promotion, support and recruitment for GP-led research. The noticeboard receives around 100 unique visits per month. RACGP members may submit their research projects to the GP Research noticeboard here. Please don’t forget to visit and consider supporting GP research projects currently recruiting!

Interested in practice-based research? Consider joining a practice-based research network. See our PBRN list to find one near you.

The RACGP’s Advocacy Plan 2024-25 was developed to ensure our advocacy is clear, consistent and focused on what matters most to our members and their patients.
 
Research advocacy priorities include boosting MRFF and NHMRC funding to general practice and primary care led research projects, allocating funding to establish a national practice-based research network, and developing a plan to provide ongoing access to primary health care data for general practice researchers and a structured framework for its use
 
We will soon start developing our Advocacy Plan for 2026-29. Please let us know what you would like to see in our next plan by emailing research@racgp.org.au

Following calls for expressions of interest last year, a new REC-R has been appointed for 2024-27. We’re pleased to be working with the following members:
 
Chair - Prof Dimity Pond
Deputy Chair - Dr Brent Venning              
 
Members
Dr Winnie Chen
Dr Simon Hay
Dr Alissia Hui
Prof Meredith Makeham
Dr Talila Milroy
A/Prof Joel Rhee                
A/Prof Nancy Sturman  
Dr Matthew Suen           
Dr Susan Wearne            
Prof Siaw-Teng Liaw, NREEC Chair
Dr Allyce Counsell, GPiT Council representative

2025 Foundation research grants
The Australian General Practice Research Foundation grants and awards open on 12 May and close on 20 June. The grants are designed to help GPs turn their research ideas into real-world impact.

Why apply?
 ✅ Seed funding for fresh ideas – Getting research off the ground.
 ✅ Room to explore – Test, trial, and innovate in ways to approach.
 ✅ Real outcomes – Make a difference to patients, practice and the future of healthcare.

Learn more here.

Want to keep up to date with Foundation news?
Subscribe to Foundation Pulse through your RACGP membership or email foundation@racgp.org.au to stay up to date with the latest grants, research projects, committee news and team highlights.

Academic registrars update
The 2026 Academic Post application round is now open, closing Monday 21 July 2025. A pre-application webinar for prospective applicants is available here. Universities will be contacted for region-specific opportunities to promote Academic Post positions where possible. Further information is available on the website.
 
The 2024 cohort has recently submitted their final reports, and financial reconciliations should have been submitted by all participating universities. The 2025 Academic Post AJGP abstract supplement (showcasing the 2024 cohort) is currently in development. 

The 2025 Academic Post cohort attended their first workshop in early February in Sydney. This was the first educational support activity delivered by the RACGP’s new internal model of Academic Post cohort education and support, led by Dr Pallavi Prathivadi. Registrars reported finding the two-day event useful and engaging. Webinars on recruitment in general practice research, abstract-writing, and wellbeing have also been delivered to the cohort so far. 
 
For any queries, please contact Georgia Franklin at gpedresearch@racgp.org.au. 

Education Research Grants
We are pleased to announce the eight successful 2025 ERG projects and are looking forward to supporting these project teams on their research journey. These teams had the opportunity to introduce their research projects to their cohort in the first workshop held in Melbourne in March 2025.
 
Expressions of interest for the Education Research Grant 2026 round are now open, closing on 30 May 2025. An information webinar is available here, along with details of key dates, eligibility criteria and how to apply.
  
Five 12-month ERG project teams from 2024 are completing their final reports while the four 24-month ERG projects are now in their second year of research. The annual dissemination webinar series will be held in August to showcase the findings of the ERG 2024 projects completed this year. Further information will follow.
 
For any inquiries about the Education Research Grant program, please contact Merci Ikeda at gpedresearch@racgp.org.au. 

The Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) is calling for more general practitioner authors for AJGP. This might be a research article, research letter to the Editor, viewpoint, clinical or professional article, or part of a new series, ‘Beyond the clinic door’.

Additionally, AJGP is inviting all medical students, their supervisors and their host medical schools to publish case studies or other articles in the AJGP.

• GP-led research paves the way for greater aged care access
• GP clinic’s research drives positive change in patient care
• GP’s research shedding light on end-of-life care
• New research highlights rural diabetes gaps

• 12 May–20 June: Applications open for Foundation general grants and awards
• 30 May: Expressions of interest for the Education Research Grant 2026 round close
• 21 July: 2026 Academic Post application round closes
• 11–12 August: AAAPC Annual Research Conference Geelong
• 1 September–31 October: Applications open for Foundation PhD top-up scholarships
• 14–16 November: GP25 conference, Brisbane