Future Leaders Program applications now open

Alumni of the RACGP Future Leaders Program can be spotted far and wide across Australia – working as practice owners, specialist GPs, RACGP state Chairs, and even current RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins and President-elect Dr Michael Wright.
 
And for those wanting to follow in their footsteps, applications are now open for the 2025 RACGP Future Leaders Program.
 
The program is designed to help GPs develop their skills and abilities in influencing the future of general practice.
 
It is aimed at those GPs who have some leadership experience but have not pursued formal qualifications, with participants receiving expert guidance from a specialist team and online resources.
 
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman participated in the program in 2018 and said, for her, it was the small group learning sessions which helped her most.
 
‘It was the way that we were able to work together, and work on each other’s problems, and we actually developed long-term relationships with the people we were in those groups with,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘This year, I’ve also been a mentor for a future leader, and I’ve really enjoyed that as well because I’ve been able to work with her on her passion projects and how she can move that forward.
 
‘As GPs, we probably should back ourselves more and just give it a go, we can actually just go ahead and do it.’
 
As Chair of an RACGP faculty, Dr Hoffman said the skills she learned in the program have helped her prepare for and navigate through the high-profile role.
 
‘The basic knowledge that you gain along the way was really beneficial for just having some of the lingo, for knowing some of the talk,’ she said.
 
‘It also introduced me to some more significant players, both in the RACGP and in other organisations that we work with a lot.’
 
The fully funded program offers 37 CPD hours, including 21 educational activity and 16 reviewing performance activities.
 
For those successful in their application, the program includes a two-day, in-person launch to choose a leadership initiative or project, monthly webinars, guest speakers and peer-group learning sessions online.
 
RACGP SA Chair Dr Sian Goodson also completed the program and told newsGP it was ‘fantastic’.
 
‘I’ve recommended it to others since because I think it’s a real opportunity to learn and gain those leadership skills,’ she said.
 
‘For me, I didn’t know much about the college at that stage, I came to Australia 12 years ago and probably wouldn’t have connected enormously with the college to be honest, but this was an entry point.
 
‘It made me realise all the great things the college has done, and going through that course gave me other opportunities too.’
 
But Dr Goodson said the program is not just for those wanting to take on high-profile roles, it can also help GPs in their day-to-day practice.
 
‘Because it teaches all sorts of leadership skills, it really makes you reflect and think about your style of leadership, how you interact with others, and how you can get the best out of teams and other people you work with,’ she said.
 
‘It doesn’t necessarily need to be that you’re doing it because you want to be involved with the college, I think any GP is a leader in their practice, a leader in their community, and that you can gain all sorts of different leadership skills.
 
‘It’s an opportunity that could appeal to lots of different people and lots of different areas.’
 
Applications for the RACGP Future Leaders Program will remain open until 10 November 2024.
 
For more information or to apply for the program, visit the RACGP website.
 
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