More Doctors for Rural Australia Program

The MDRAP is open to doctors who are Australian citizens, permanent residents and temporary residents. Eligible applicants for the MDRAP fall into the following categories:

1. Doctors with prior general practice experience
2. Doctors without prior general practice experience
3. Doctors providing locum services (some requirements will be based on prior general practice experience)
4. Junior doctors gaining exposure to general practice.

To be eligible for MDRAP doctors must:

• hold current registration with the Medical Board of Australia
• have an offer of employment and have the necessary skills and experience to perform the role
• provide evidence of appropriate support in place to meet supervision requirements if applicable
• take active steps to join a college pathway within the defined period and
• undertake general practice professional development activities.

A doctor’s previous 3GA placement history will be considered when assessing MDRAP applications.

An MDRAP placement is for two years. Doctors can seek extensions for a period up to four years total in extenuating circumstances, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Eligible locations for an MDRAP placement are:

• in a Distribution of Priority Areas (DPA); and
• in an area classified as Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2–7.

Doctors who work at a practice classified as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or that hold an exemption under s19 (2) or s19 (5) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 are also eligible for a MDRAP placement.

As part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy announced in the 2018-19 Budget, the Government reformed the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item fee arrangements for non-vocationally recognised general practitioners (non-VR GPs). Doctors on the MDRAP in MM 2-7 locations are able to access items from Group A7 of the Medicare Benefits Schedule, follow the link to find out more.  

The MDRAP supports doctors working towards joining an approved General Practice Training (GPT) pathway. Doctors participating in the MDRAP must make a minimum of one application to a GPT pathway each year to remain on the program.

Doctors who participate in the MDRAP must complete foundation general practice training modules provided by either the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners or the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine within six months of commencing on the MDRAP.

Doctors who participate in the MDRAP for a year must ensure at least half of the annual professional development required by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHRPA) is relevant to general practice.

The MDRAP provides a supervision framework for doctors who have less than six months general practice experience. The supervision requirements vary depending on the category of the doctor. Information about supervision is available in the MDRAP Applicant Guidelines. AHPRA supervision requirements linked to your registration are not replaced by the MDRAP supervision framework.