The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has secured a $751.3 million, five-year Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Grant agreement with the Federal Government.
This is the largest and longest training agreement ever awarded to a medical college.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the new agreement will expand access to GPs across the country.
“This five-year agreement is the largest ever awarded to any specialist medical college and reflects that the RACGP’s world-class GP training is delivering for our communities,” he said.
“This new, $751 million contract reflects strong government confidence in the RACGP’s ability to deliver GP training nationwide, underpinned by our success in filling GP training places in communities that need them and consistently positive feedback from future GPs in independent medical trainee surveys.”
Interest in general practice has never been higher, with the RACGP filling every available place across the initial AGPT contract. That trend is continuing in 2026, with a record 1772 doctors joining the program, many of whom will help communities in rural and remote Australia.
This represents a nearly 19% increase on 2025’s record-breaking AGPT cohort of 1507 future GPs. Of these:
- 841 doctors on the rural training pathway will spend all three years of their training in regional, rural, or remote communities. This is a 44.2% increase on 2025, driven by a 125% rise in interest in rural training since 2024
- 293 doctors (16.5% of the cohort) will train as Rural Generalists, gaining an extra year of skills in emergency medicine and hospital care that are essential for rural communities.
Dr Wright acknowledged the vital role of GP training supervisors and training practices in achieving this milestone.
“Their commitment to high-quality education is the foundation of the Government’s confidence in our ongoing delivery and is recognised across three years of independently conducted medical trainee surveys and the GP National Registrar Survey,” he said.
Dr Wright said general practice is central to Australia’s healthcare system.
“RACGP training prepares our general practice registrars for lifelong practice as GPs anywhere in Australia,” he said.
“The RACGP continues to train GPs and Rural Generalists in all Australian communities, from our major cities, to rural and regional Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. No matter where you live, our GPs and the RACGP will be there.”
~ENDS
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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. We set the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.
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