THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

APPLICATION FOR ASSESSMENT OF TIME IN

OVERSEAS GENERAL PRACTICE

Introduction and Explanations

Enclosed is a copy of the application form for the Assessment of Time in Overseas
General Practice, together with a brief outline of the procedure for assessing of
applications.

This assessment is designed to assist in determining eligibility –

ƒ to enrol in the College Examination or Practice Based Assessment;

ƒ for full Membership of the RACGP; and/or

ƒ as part of an Australian Rural Workforce Agency application

Applications will only be accepted from doctors currently living in Australia, or, from
those doctors living overseas who have a written recommendation from an Australian
Rural Workforce Agency to have this RACGP assessment completed.

Only overseas general practice experience within ten (10) years prior to the
application date will be considered for this assessment.

English language requirements

Applicants must have successfully completed EITHER:

• the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination
(Academic Module) with a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four
components, and an overall band-score of 7.0, OR
• obtained an overall pass in the Occupational English Test - OET (4
components) administered by the Centre for Adult Education (CAE) with
grades A or B ONLY in each of the four components OR
• or obtained a pass in the PLAB part 2

For overseas applicants: Your IELTS/OET/PLAB Reports must be have been

attained within two years of submitting your Assessment of Time in Overseas
General Practice application.

For applicants who have been practising in an Australian English speaking clinical
employment context (General Practice or hospital) since successfully completing
their English language test, exemption from further testing will be granted on
provision of:
• Certified copies of the results of their English language test.
• Certified evidence of their continuous clinical practice within an English
speaking clinical employment context since completion of their English
language test.
Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 A
 • Statutory declarations from 2 Australian trained clinicians (Undergraduate
degrees obtained in Australia) vouching for the applicant’s English language
proficiency in the clinical context.

Exemption may also be granted on provision of evidence of all secondary and tertiary
schooling being in English. Certified evidence of this will be required.

What happens to my application when it is submitted?

On receipt of your application, it will be forwarded to two RACGP Censors who are
responsible for independently calculating your time in overseas general practice.

Both Censors must agree that the assessment is fair and reasonable before you are
notified of the result.

To avoid delays in the processing of your application, please ensure that all
information that has been requested as per the Documentary Checklist on Page 7 is
included, in particular, those listed in Section 2.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 B

What is “general practice”?

General practice in Australia means comprehensive, continuing, whole patient

care. It is not confined to one specialty – it is, by definition, “general”. GPs in
Australia see unselected patients; these are not patients referred to them by other
practitioners. GPs are the “doctor of first contact” for patients, families and the
community in which they work. General practice involves the acceptance, as
patients, of people with all sorts of diseases and conditions where the initial diagnosis
and decision as to treatment or further referral needs to be made. It also requires a
willingness to provide preventative care to patients and also ongoing or continuing
care for patients with chronic conditions. It is not, therefore, merely episodic.

The RACGP will rely upon your description of your time in overseas practice to
determine whether it fits the criteria for “general practice”. Addressing these criteria
when completing your application will enable a decision on your application to be
made in a fair, equitable and timely manner.

Your overseas practice will not be considered to meet these criteria if it is –

ƒ one in which the patients are selected or referred to you by others;

ƒ predominantly in a field of specialty e.g. Paediatrics, Women’s Health or
Military Service;
ƒ in a hospital environment as an intern or resident;
ƒ in a hospital emergency department;
ƒ as a hospital medical officer primarily dealing with in-patient care; or
ƒ in an outpatient department of a hospital unless that department is the
only source of primary care for the community it serves

In assessing your application, the RACGP relies on the accuracy of the information
you provide in your application. You are therefore required to provide a statutory
declaration attesting to the veracity of the provided information. Please be aware that
making a false statutory declaration is a criminal offence.

You are also required to agree to indemnify the RACGP from and against any loss or
damage that the RACGP suffers as a result of you providing false, inaccurate or
misleading information in the application. The form of indemnity is set out in the
application form and must be signed by you in the presence of a witness.

If you have any queries, please contact the Overseas General Practice Assessment
Administrator on 03 8699 0453 or by email at overseas@racgp.org.au

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 C

 THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
College House, 1 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Tel (03) 8699 0414 Fax (03) 8699 0400

C
ACN 223 807 ABN 34 000 223 807

Applications should be TYPED – if hand-written use BLOCK letters

APPLICATION FOR ASSESSMENT OF TIME IN OVERSEAS GENERAL PRACTICE

Complete all sections

Office Use Only:………………………….. Date Received:……………………. RACGP Number:……………………..

Surname: ........................................................................................... Given Names:.............................................................

Practice Address:...................................................................................................... State: ...................... Postcode: ...........

Country: ..................................................Phone No: [ ] ........................................ Fax No: [ ] ........................................

Home Address: ......................................................................................................... State: ...................... Postcode: ...........

Country: ..................................................Phone No: [ ] ......................................... Fax No: [ ] .........................................

Email:......................................................Mobile: .......................................................... DOB:.…./.…./.…. Gender: M / F

Preferred mailing address: Practice Home Other
University Graduated From: …………………………………………………….. Year Graduated: …………………………

For what purpose do you require assessment of your general practice experience? (Please 9 )

College Membership Enrolment in the next College Exam Enrolment in the next PBA

Entry into a Rural Recruitment Scheme

NB. If you are currently living overseas you MUST attach a written recommendation from the Australian Rural Workforce
Agency to whom you have applied for this application to be processed

Name of Rural Workforce Agency: __________________________________________________________

Note
For general practice experience in Australia use Form A – Assessment of Australian General Practice Experience

For overseas qualifications in general practice/primary care/family medicine use Form B – Recognised Overseas
Qualifications

Please ensure that you complete ALL sections of this application form.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT ONE (1) ORIGINAL APPLICATION FORM
AND TWO ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE FORM WITH ALL REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS AS PER THE
DOCUMENTARY CHECKLIST ON PAGE 7 OF THE FORM.

PLEASE NOTE THAT INCOMPLETE APPLICATION FORMS WILL BE RETURNED TO APPLICANTS

FOR COMPLETION.

Applications should be posted to Overseas Experience Assessments

Assessment Department
RACGP
1 Palmerston Crescent
South Melbourne Vic 3205

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 1

 Office Use Only: Date Received: RACGP Number:

PAYMENT APPLICATION FEE DETAILS

Are you a financial member of the RACGP? Yes No

Have you submitted an application form to join the RACGP? Yes No

If your answer is yes to either of these questions, the application fee for the assessment of your overseas general practice
experience is A$300.00.

If your answer is no to both of these questions, the application fee for the assessment of your overseas general practice
experience is A$500.00.

PLEASE MAKE REMITTANCES PAYABLE IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS TO:

THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
CHEQUE / MONEY ORDER ENCLOSED : … CHEQUE NO. ___________ $__________
Charge my credit card … Mastercard … AMEX … Bankcard … Visa

______ / _______ / ______ / ______ Expiry Date: __ /__

Name of card holder : ___________________________________________________

Signature: ……………………………… Receipt required: Yes / No Total Amount $__________________

INDEMNITY
I acknowledge that The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (‘RACGP’) will rely upon the
accuracy and truth of the statements and information that I provide in this application in order to assess the
time I have spent overseas in general practice. I hereby indemnify RACGP and will keep RACGP indemnified
for any loss, cost or expense incurred by RACGP as a result of any claim, action, demand or proceeding
brought by any person in respect of loss or damage arising from any false, misleading or inaccurate statement
or information provided by me in this application.

I also undertake to provide all details of any current or pending investigations, review, inquiry or sanction by a
Medical Board, Professional Services Review Director, Medicare Australia or any similar body in relation to my
professional practice or behaviour, whether in Australia or overseas.

Signature of applicant:…………………………………………………

Print Name: …………………………………………………………… Date:………………………………..

Signature of witness:…………………………………………………

Print Name: …………………………………………………………… Date:………………………………..

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 2

 THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL
PRACTITIONERS
College House, 1 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Tel (03) 8699 0414
Fax (03) 8699 0400
ACN 000 223 807 ABN 34 000 223 807 C1
Applications should be TYPED – if hand-written use BLOCK letters

SECTION 1 CLINICAL TIME (OVERSEAS only)

NOTE: Minimum acceptable part-time general practice is 10.5 hours (3 sessions) per week in the one position for
a minimum of one month.
Do you consider
Dates this position
dd/mm/yy Position Name & Address & Country Full Time General Practice Office Use Only
Yes / No as defined on
From To Page B
Yes / No
±

± For those positions that you have marked as being General

Practice experience and are within the last 10 years, please
complete one C2 page for each position.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 3

 THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL
PRACTITIONERS
College House, 1 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Tel (03) 8699 0414 Fax (03) 8699
0400
ACN 223 807 ABN 34 000 223 807 C2
Applications should be TYPED – if hand-written use BLOCK letters

Section 2 - Copy this page and complete BOTH part 1 & part 2 for EACH general practice
position within the last 10 years that you have listed on C1.

Part 1
± Position Name (from Section 1) : ________________________________________________

Start Date : _____________________ Finish Date : _____________________

dd/mm/yy dd/mm/yy

For this position only, what hours did you work each day? (eg. 8am to 5pm)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Were ALL the hours worked in this position in general practice as it is defined in Australia?
Yes No

If No, or if you are unsure, please outline the amount of time per week you spent in the following
duties:

Inpatient care Work in Hospital wards

Operating theatres Emergency
Outpatient clinics Community clinics
General Practice Other:

Part 2 Please address ALL the following criteria for ONLY the general practice part of this position
Please ensure that each description requested below is detailed enough to enable the RACGP Censors to gain a clear
understanding of your general practice experience. Please use a separate page for each description.

A. Description of patients. Please outline the types of patients seen. For example: how many male/female patients,
what was the age distribution.

B. Description of illnesses seen. Please outline the types of illnesses seen. How were these patients followed up and
by whom?

C. Description of medical record system used. Please outline the medical record system used.

D. Description of availability of drugs. Please outline the availability of drugs and details of prescribing processes.

E. Description of procedural work undertaken. Please outline the details of all procedural work done.

F. Description of consulting rooms. Please describe the consulting rooms.

G. Domains of General Practice On the following page is a list of the “Domains of General Practice”.
These domains define the role of Australian General Practitioners within the Australian Primary Healthcare
system. Please give a description of how your General Practice experience correlates across these domains.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 4

 Domains of Australian General Practice

Communication Skills and the Patient – Doctor Relationship

1.1 The General Practitioner as a therapeutic agent
1.2 Patient-Centeredness
1.3 Establishing Rapport
1.4 Communication with patients' significant others
1.5 Consultation Models
1.6 Counselling Skills
1.7 Advocacy Role for the individual patient
1.8 Interaction of Family Dynamics with health and illness
1.9 Communication with patients from difft cultural backgrounds
1.10 Communication with special needs groups
1.11 Individual & opportunistic health education promotion
1.12 Care coordination, referrals and networking
1.13 Written communication skills

Applied Professional Knowledge and Skills Population Health and the Context of General
Practice
2.1 Knowledge of Medical Conditions – common
2.2 Knowledge of Medical Conditions – treatable 3.1 Demographic & epidemiological issues - health needs of
2.3 Knowledge of Medical Conditions – preventable special groups
2.4 Knowledge of Medical Conditions - dysfunctional, 3.2 Knowledge of public health problems
disabling or life-threatening 3.3 Population-based preventive strategies
2.5 Knowledge of Medical Conditions - uncommon, but 3.4 Cultural aspects of health care
serious 3.5 Socio-political dimensions of health
2.6 Knowledge of Medical Conditions - masquerading 3.6 Advocacy role in the community--.
illnesses 3.7 Patient context - family, work and significant others
2.7 Approach to undifferentiated problems 3.8 Community resources
2.8 Information gathering
2.9 Physical examination skills
2.10 Procedural skills
2.11 Clinical decision making
2.12 Continuity of Care
2.13 Integration of care
2.14 Cost-effective treatment and investigations
2.15 Critical appraisal

Professional and Ethical Role Organisational and Legal Dimensions

4.1 Special duty of care 5.1 Arrangements for availability and accessibility
4.2 Maintenance of professional standards 5.2 Safety-netting
4.3 Adherence to contemporary ethical principles 5.3 Screening and recall systems
4.4 Reflective skills and self-appraisal 5.4 Information management – patient and practice
4.5 Lifelong learning and continuous professional 5.5 Information technology
development 5.6 Medical records
4.6 Teaching role 5.7 Legal responsibilities
4.7 Research, evaluation & audit skills 5.8 Practice management
4.8 Professional networks
4.9 Self and family care

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 5

 THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL
PRACTITIONERS
College House, 1 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Tel (03) 8699 0414 Fax (03) 8699
0400
ACN 223 807 ABN 34 000 223 807 C3
Applications should be TYPED – if hand-written use BLOCK letters

Section 3. FURTHER REQUIREMENTS

Please provide a brief description of the health system in your country of experience

Please ensure that the description of the health system in your country of experience is detailed enough to
enable the RACGP Censors to gain a clear understanding of your experience. Please provide this description
on a separate page.

Documentary Evidence
Attach documentary evidence of the following: 9 the box beside each when attached.

Where documents are not in English, an official and endorsed translation to English is required

Certified copies of any postgraduate diplomas, certificates and qualifications

A certified copy of current medical registration – if you have overseas registration that was issued
more than 2 years ago, you MUST supply a letter of good standing from the registering body

An executed statutory declaration in the accompanying form

Postgraduate training, including training for general practice or other specialities, and availability of
supervision during training or early years in practice.

Details of Quality Assurance and Continuing Professional Development (QA & CPD) completed
during the last 12 months

Involvement with other medical practitioners – General Practitioner colleagues and Specialists

Involvement with other health professionals in the practice or community

A comprehensive curriculum vitae

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 6

 English language requirements:
Overseas applicants and applicants Overseas applicants and applicants who have not previously
undertaken an IELTS/OET or PLAB test:

A current certified copy of your IELTS/OET/PLAB Report, that is, completed within two years of
submitting your Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice application

Applicants who have been practising in an English speaking clinical employment context (General
Practice or hospital) since successfully completing their English language test:

For exemption from the currency requirement, please attach documentary evidence of:

Certified copy of the results of English language test.

Certified evidence of continuous clinical practice within an English speaking clinical employment
context since completion of the English language test.

Statutory declarations from 2 Australian trained clinicians (undergraduate degrees obtained in

Australia) vouching for the applicant’s English language proficiency in the clinical context.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 7

 Statutory Declaration

I,(1) ______________________________________________________

do solemnly and sincerely declare that the information and statements contained
in my application for assessment of overseas time in general practice and in the
attachments provided with my application are accurate, true and correct
And I make this solemn declaration by virtue of the Statutory Declarations Act
1959, Commonwealth of Australia and subject to the penalties provided by that
Act for the making of false statements in statutory declarations, conscientiously
believing the statements contained in this declaration to be true in every particular.

(2) ______________________________________________________________

Declared at _______________________________________________

On the ______________________ day of ________________ , 200____

Before me,
(3) ____________________________________________________________

(4) ____________________________________________________________

(1) Here insert name, address and occupation of person making the declaration.
(2) Signature of person making the declaration.
(3) Signature of person before whom the declaration is made
(see over page for a list of persons before whom a Statutory Declaration may be
made).
(4) Here insert title of person before whom the declaration is made.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 8

Persons before whom a Statutory Declaration may be made

Under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, the persons before whom a Statutory Declaration may be made
include any person who is authorised under a law in force in a State or Territory of Australia to practise as a
member of a profession listed in Part 1 or a person listed in Part 2 below.

Part 1 Members of certain professions authorised to practice under a law in force in a State or
Territory of Australia
Chiropractor Dentist
Legal practitioner Medical practitioner
Nurse Patent attorney
Pharmacist Physiotherapist
Psychologist Trade marks attorney
Veterinary surgeon

Part 2 Other persons

Agent of the Australian Postal Corporation who is in charge of an office supplying postal services to
the public
Australian Consular Officer, or Australian Diplomatic Officer, (within the meaning of the Consular
Fees Act 1955)
Employee of the Australian Trade Commission who is:
(a) in a country or place outside Australia; and
(b) authorised under paragraph 3 (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
(c) exercising his or her function in that place

Employee of the Commonwealth who is:

(a) in a country or place outside Australia; and
(b) authorised under paragraph 3 (c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
(c) exercising his or her function in that place
Member of Chartered Secretaries Australia

Member of the Australian Defence Force who is:

(a) an officer; or
(b) a non-commissioned officer within the meaning of the Defence Force Discipline Act
1982 with 5 or more years of continuous service; or
(c) warrant officer within the meaning of that Act.

Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Australian Society of Certified
Practising Accountants or the National Institute of Accountants

Member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, other than at the grade of student
Member of:
(a) the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or
(b) the Parliament of a State; or
(c) a Territory legislature; or
(d) a local government authority of a State or Territory

Notary public

Permanent employee of:

(a) the Commonwealth of Australia or of a Commonwealth authority; or
(b) a State or Territory of Australia or of a State or Territory authority with 5 or more years of
continuous service who is not specified in another item in this Part

Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years of continuous service
who is employed in an office supplying postal services to the public.

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 9

 A
THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

APPLICATION FOR ASSESSMENT OF AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE

Attach extra pages if required

SECTION 1 HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE – Including registration year – Australia only

Dates Hospital Discipline Duration Office

From To Years and Months Use
Only

TOTAL

SECTION 2 GENERAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE - Australia only

Minimum acceptable part-time experience is 10.5 hours (3 sessions) per week in the one practice for a minimum of one
month.
Dates Full Time Part Duration Office Use
From To Practice Names and Address Time Years & Only
Sessions Months
/Wk

TOTAL

PRIVACY POLICY: The RACGP has a Privacy policy that reflects Federal and State privacy legislation.
A full copy of the College’s policy is available from our website: www.racgp.org.au
Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 10
 B
THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL
PRACTITIONERS

RECOGNISED OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS FOR GENERAL PRACTICE

Please indicate 9 or 8 to each of the following questions

Yes No Office Use Only
9 8 Is evidence
attached?

Do you hold the RACGP Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Training (CSCT)?

Are you a Fellow of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
(FRNZCGP)?

Are you a Member of The Royal College of General Practitioners UK (MRCGP)?

Are you a Member of The Irish College of General Practitioners (MICGP)?

Are you a Member of The Faculty of General Practitioners; or a Member of The College
of Family Practitioners, South Africa by examination (MFGP or the new MCFP)?

Do you hold the Certificate in Family Practice from the College of Family Physicians of
Canada (CFPC)?

Do you hold the Certificate of the American Board of Family Practice (ABFP) USA?

Do you hold the Certificate of the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General
Practice (JCPTGP) UK or the Certificate of Completion of Training from the
Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB)?

Do you hold the Master of Medicine (Family Medicine) from the National University of
Singapore?

Do you hold registration as a Family Physician with the Health Professions Council of
South Africa?

Do you hold the Master of Family Medicine, South Africa?

Do you hold the Master of Prax Medicine, South Africa?

You must attach certified copies of documents confirming any of the above qualifications
Where documents are not in English,an official and endorsed translation to English is required

PRIVACY POLICY: The RACGP has a privacy policy that reflects Federal and State privacy legislation.
A full copy of the College’s policy is available from our website: www.racgp.org.au

Assessment of Time in Overseas General Practice 1 July 2008 11