AOGP Training Advisors expertly guide each Registrar’s progress through training—assisting to customise their Training Blueprint and determine the order and format of their training program components. Training advice commences at the Pre-entry Meeting.

The RACGP and ACRRM training standards require providers of General Practice training to assess and monitor all Registrars, both at the beginning of training, and throughout the life of the Registrar’s program. AOGP uses a number of different educational tools to tailor training to Registrars’ particular learning needs, including the use of GPRime, Learning Plans and formative assessment.

Formative assessment includes:

• AOGP Procedural Skills Log
• Hospital Rotation Assessment
• AOGP Learning Needs Analysis
• Doctors Interpersonal Skills Questionnaire 
• Medical Educator Visit
• End of Semester GP Registrar Appraisal

AOGP places a large number of Registrars in Practices each Semester. AOGP believes that in order to maximise the benefits of in-practice training, it is important to match the Registrars’ learning needs with those learning experiences offered by the Practices. AOGP has in place a robust and successful matching process to meet this key objective. The matching process is a consultative one that adheres to the AOGP educational philosophy. As part of this process, AOGP is also required to balance Registrar’s and Practices’ needs with those of the AOGP region.

Registrars, Supervisors, Practices and the Medical Education team all play a part in the matching, pre-placement, and placement processes. AOGP firmly believes that a successful placement process requires all parties involved to fulfil their relevant responsibilities.

AOGP places a high value on Registrar wellbeing. To this end AOGP has developed a coordinated self-care and support program for Registrars, consisting of Pastoral Care, a Self-Management training program and a Registrar Assistance Program.

Find out more about Registrar Wellbeing.

Upon acceptance of a training position at AOGP, Registrars are invited to participate in a Pre-entry Meeting with the Medical Director. The purpose of this meeting is to commence the development of a customised Training Blueprint to ensure the training program is tailored to meet the Registrar’s individual needs, reconciled against the College/s’ requirements. The Training Blueprint template is used to guide this development.

At AOGP, we believe it is important to equip Registrars with essential information and advice in order to maximise training opportunities. The Orientation program for each cohort provides up-front information about the AOGP training program, available resources and support, an introduction to AOGP personnel, and establishes mutual expectations and obligations. All Registrars are expected to attend this important informationsession.

Hospital based training is an important element of the Training Program. Certain hospital rotations and experiences are considered mandatory and must be satisfactorily completed prior to entry into the General Practice Terms of training. The Models for Training can be viewed on the Program Overview page.

Registrars who complete these requirements during their program are actively engaged with AOGP during this time. While hospital positions are salaried by the State government, AOGP provides advocacy for Registrars to ensure that Hospital-based Training opportunities are maximised. 

Hospital-based Registrars are expected to attend fortnightly Registrar Directed Learning (RDL) sessions which are held out of regular working hours. These sessions are an opportunity for Registrars to learn about a range of topics which have been mapped against the College/s curricula and to network with their peer group. Also, as part of their self-directed learning, Registrars are encouraged to focus on building their clinical skill-set with a view to later applying these skill within the General Practice context.

All Registrars are invited to apply for recognition of prior learning where they believe they have already met these requirements prior to entering the program.

GP community placements are a crucial component of the Training Program, allowing Registrars to gain General Practice skills in a well supported, supervised training environment.

In-Practice training
During GP Community-based training, Registrars are placed within a General Practice under the supervision of a fully-qualified GP. All AOGP Supervisors are experienced GPs who have been accredited to RACGP and/or ACRRM standards to provide supervision and training in an accredited Practice. As part of this process, AOGP provides regular upskilling to all accredited Supervisors.

As General Practice training is based on a vocational (apprenticeship) model, Supervisors provide essential professional role-modelling, advice, one-on-one teaching, supervision, feedback, and formative assessment. Supervisors also, particularly in rural areas, play a key role in familiarising Registrars with specific regional needs and providing ongoing support to Registrars and their families.

Out-of-Practice training
Registrars are required to attend educational events at AOGP or other relevant training venues. Dates for these are provided in the education calendar which can be found on GPRime and in the quarterly newsletter. These events are comprised of two types. The first—Education Block Releases—have pre-determined learning objectives in line with specific GP Terms. Education Block Releases are full-day events. The second—Registrar Directed Learning groups—are Registrar-driven, and based on the group’s identified learning needs. These are half day events. Registrars are supported by AOGP to attend out-of-practice training with the provision of a childcare facility with a qualified child care worker in attendance. Registrars are also supported by Practices who release Registrars to attend this training in paid time.

AOGP maintains Extended Skills Training (EST) posts, Academic Skills Posts, and Advanced Skills Training posts in South Australia.

Extended Skills Training posts
Extended Skills Training posts offer an opportunity to gain experience in areas of health and medicine that are relevant to General Practice and of special interest to the Registrar. These posts are available to all Registrars for a duration of three or six months and can be undertaken at any time during training after the completion of the core hospital terms.

Extended Skills Training posts include, but are not limited to the following:

• Aboriginal health—rural and urban
• Aviation medicine
• Disability medicine
• Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA)
• Grief and palliative care
• Mental health
• Multicultural and Refugee Health
• Overseas Posts
  Example: Addiction Treatment services, Dublin Ireland
• Sports Medicine
• Travel Medicine
• Women’s health and sexual health

Advanced Skills Training is primarily undertaken by Registrars intending to do a FACRRM or FARGP. The aim of Advanced Rural Skills Training/Advanced Specialised Training is to allow Registrars to further their knowledge and/or skills in an area of interest. These 12 month posts are typically located in a hospital or community setting, or a combination of both. A Registrar undertaking this form of enhanced training may also choose to pursue a specific skill qualification in this area (eg Diploma in Palliative Care, Dip OBS/Advanced Dip OBS etc).

There are multiple types of posts that can be undertaken as Advanced Skills Training. These include, but are not limited to:

• Aboriginal Health
• Anaesthetics
• Emergency
• Mental Health
• Musculoskeletal Medicine
• Obstetrics
• Paediatrics
• Palliative Care
• Small Town General Practice
• Surgery

To be deemed eligible for Completion of Training (COT), Registrars need to have completed their summative assessments and all additional training requirements.

The summative assessment requirements for the FRACGP can be found here and for FACRRM here.

AOGP Toolbox
The AOGP Toolbox is an in-practice teaching tool for Supervisors to assist Registrars’ learning. It contains a series of modules designed to be used during in-practice teaching sessions. Registrars can access the Toolbox on GPRime and are encouraged to work with their Supervisor to incorporate the relevant tutorials as part of in-practice teaching sessions. The tutorials have been developed in collaboration with Supervisors and Registrars.

GP Learning
Registrars who become members of the RACGP have access to the online learning site, GP Learning. This educational resource covers an extensive range of topics in a variety of educational formats.

RRMEO
All AOGP Registrars in the Rural Pathway are registered on the Rural and Remote Medical Education Online (RRMEO) website, which is ACRRM’s online learning site. This website provides access to online education opportunities and allows for online collaboration with other Registrars and with AOGP. 

UpToDate
This is an evidence-based, peer-reviewed information resource available via the Web, desktop/laptop computer and mobile device. Practices may have access to this resource, which must be subscribed to. Registrars are encouraged to check with their Supervisor.

You can find out more about online learning with AOGP on the Online Learning page.

AOGP Library
Registrars have many resources available to them through the AOGP library. It is open during business hours and out-of-hours by prior arrangement. The library has a large selection of books, DVDs and reference materials, including exam preparation resources that can be borrowed. Rural Registrars can have materials posted to them for convenience.

In-Practice Resources
AOGP provides each accredited Practice with a suite of in-practice resources that are to be made available to the Registrar and Supervisor/s involved in teaching in that Practice. These resources include reference books, on-line resources as well as video and television equipment.

Education Weekend
The AOGP Education Weekend is the largest education event in the calendar and has been delivered since 2002.

The Board originally commissioned this event with two aims in mind. Firstly, to provide a robust educational forum that also allowed for a networking opportunity between the two core stakeholder groups, namely Registrars and Supervisors, together with AOGP personnel. Secondly, to ensure the partners and/or families of all participants were also included in the weekend’s events and that there was cross-fertilisation between those based in the city with those based in the rural AOGP region. This dual aim continues to be maintained. From 2010 this event has been offered every two years and always in a rural environment.

Communications Skills Training
In addition to the Block Release Program, AOGP also provide a Communication Skills Program. Through the Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) process, Registrars will be notified if their attendance is formally required, however the program is open to all interested GPT1 Registrars.

Structured Exam Preparation and Support
AOGP offers a range of support and resources for Registrars preparing to sit for the ACRRM or RACGP summative assessments. This includes provision of the AOGP Exam Preparation Handbook, 1:1 peer mentoring if required, and access to mock written and clinical exams.

AOGP also assists Registrars to form study groups. It provides in- and out-of-hours access to the AOGP Library, other resources and training rooms for the purpose of supporting established study groups.

Rural Orientation
AOGP conducts a rural orientation workshop for Registrars and their partners/families entering rural regions for the first time. This is to ensure that the whole family are well prepared for their rural relocation.

AOGP Regional support
AOGP provides grants to organisations such as the Divisions of General Practice and coordinates with other services (eg the Rural Medical Family Network through RDWA), to provide a local support program for Registrars and their families who are moving into rural regions.

Virtual Study Group
For those Registrars preparing for their summative assessments, a Virtual Study Group is facilitated by AOGP.

Each Registrar has access to a number of cost reimbursements and incentives that relate to their training, and that are paid by either AOGP or Medicare Australia.