Incentives prove successful in attracting new GPs

‘The next generation of GPs has been clear about the value of these grants,’ says RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Munõz following the successful rollout of GP training incentives in her own state.
 
But it is a different story in New South Wales, where a lack of incentives is aligned with fewer GPs entering the profession.
 
This year, 358 future GPs will start training in Victoria, 22% more than 2024, while the number of GPs training in Melbourne has jumped by 42%.
 
That is according to data from the RACGP, which also revealed that Victoria is now home to the greatest number of rural GPs in training of any state.
 
This is supported by the Victorian Government’s $40,000 GP training incentives program, which resulted in half of all recipients saying they began GP training due to the grant.
 
The survey also found 59% of recipients are undertaking placements in regional Victoria because of the grants, and 13% said they moved to Victoria because of the program.
 
However, in New South Wales, a ‘lack of investment’ has led to the state ‘underperforming’, according to the RACGP.
 
In 2025, 441 registrars are beginning their GP training in NSW, and while this is an 8% increase, it is behind the national growth of 19.8%.
 
The college also revealed that the number of GPs training in regional, rural, and remote areas grew by only 4%, compared to a 17% national increase.
 
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said while the increase is promising, ‘it’s well behind where it needs to be’.
 
‘We know incentives allow more doctors to do specialist GP training in communities which need them,’ she said.
 
‘Politicians and policymakers should be concerned. Communities without a local GP struggle to survive. The NSW Government should step up.
 
‘Practices want to train the next generation of specialist GPs, and we’ve put our own placement incentives in place via federal funding, but more is needed.
 
‘Incentives for junior doctors to train as GPs will help the state to end this crisis.’
 
Dr Munõz said incentive payments for GPs in training have proved a ‘fantastic success’ and must serve as a lesson for other states.
 
‘Given their success, the Victorian Government should fund its GP training incentives in 2026 and beyond,’ she said.
 
‘There are also gains to be made by increasing junior doctors’ opportunities to experience what general practice, and especially rural general practice, can offer.
 
‘With the right funding and incentives, we can rebuild the GP workforce to keep everyone healthy throughout their lives.’
 
Dr Munõz is now calling on the Victorian Government to expand its program to entice more GPs into the state’s regional cities and rural towns.
 
In response to the Victorian program’s success, the RACGP is calling for all political parties to fund 1500 more RACGP Australian GP Training places over the next five years.
 
It also wants to see parties commit to linking Government-subsidised medical places at universities to a target of 50% of graduates training as GPs.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said all federal parties must commit to ensuring access to affordable GP care in the lead up to the Federal Election.
 
‘The RACGP has a plan to ensure high-quality general practice care is accessible and affordable for all Australians,’ he said.
 
‘We’ve shown we can train more GPs, and with Australia’s growing and ageing population, and an epidemic of chronic illness, we need to increase the number we’re training to meet the need for care.
 
‘With significant investment in Medicare, we can increase bulk billing and reduce out-of-pocket costs for people who aren’t being bulk billed. Both these things are crucial.’
 
The program will see GPs in training begin work in the following regions in Victoria this year:

• 114 joining the Metro East region on a general training pathway
• 83 joining the Metro West region on a general training pathway
• 64 joining the Metro and Rural South West region (Geelong to the South Australian border and southern Mallee), 25 on a general training pathway and 39 on a rural pathway
• 33 joining the Rural North West region (Central Highlands, Wimmera, and Loddon Mallee) on a rural training pathway
• 23 joining the Rural North East region (Hume region and area around Albury, NSW) on a rural training pathway
• 41 joining the Rural South East region (Gippsland, Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges) on a rural training pathway

• 113 GPs in training will join the Lower Eastern (Central Eastern NSW and South Western Sydney) region; 70 general pathway, 43 composite (general and rural) pathway
• 72 will join the Lower Eastern (South Eastern NSW) region; 20 general pathway, 52 rural pathway
• 68 will join the North Eastern (Hunter, Manning and Central Coast) region; 29 general pathway, 29 rural pathway, 10 composite (general and rural) pathway
• 110 will join the North Eastern (Nepean, Western and Northern Sydney) region; 89 general pathway, 21 composite (general and rural) pathway
• Two will join the North Eastern (New England/Northwest) region on a rural pathway
• 41 will join the North Eastern (North Coast) region; eight general pathway, 33 rural pathway
• 23 will join the Western and ACT (Murrumbidgee and ACT) region; 15 general pathway, eight rural pathway
• 12 will join the Western and ACT (Western NSW) region on a rural pathway

GPs in training incentives rural workforce