The Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) is designed to support doctors working in areas where there is a shortage of medical services. It allows doctors to access items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) while gaining valuable experience in general practice.

Who Can Participate? The program is open to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents who are doctors. This includes International Medical Graduates (IMGs) with provisional or limited registration. Doctors can have general, provisional, or limited registration, but they cannot be vocationally registered.

How Does It Work? The program is administered by Rural Workforce Agencies (RWAs) in each state and the Northern Territory. Doctors and medical practices must meet certain requirements to participate. Doctors must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia, have an offer of employment, and be ready to join a GP College-led Fellowship pathway within a defined period.

Benefits of the Program The PFP helps doctors gain valuable experience in general practice, improves access to GPs in underserved areas, and gives general practices the opportunity to recruit from a pool of previously unavailable doctors.

How to Apply To apply for the PFP, doctors can contact the Rural Workforce Agency in their state. The program is currently open for applications. List of rural workforce agencies is here

Conclusion The Pre-Fellowship Program is an important initiative that helps doctors gain experience in general practice while providing much-needed medical services to communities in need. If you are a doctor interested in participating in the program, contact your state’s Rural Workforce Agency for more information.

More information and program guidelines are here