Pathways to Becoming a GP in Australia:Step-by-Step Guide for IMGs

International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who want to work as GPs in Australia generally have two main options:

• Using a specialist qualification in family medicine already obtained overseas.
• Starting the GP pathway from scratch in Australia.

This article explains both routes in detail.

※This article is written by OET Bank, where we specialize in helping healthcare professionals prepare for OET and support their overseas career opportunities.

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Using Your Overseas Specialist Qualification

If you are already a qualified family medicine specialist in your home country, the process usually follows these steps:

1. Submit proof of English proficiency (OET/IELTS).
2. Secure a supervised GP position.
3. Apply for and participate in the Practice Experience Program (PEP), which involves supervised clinical practice, assessments, and training.
4. Pass the FRACGP exam to gain official recognition as a GP.

The first requirement is proof of English proficiency. The most common options are OET or IELTS.

Next, you must secure a GP clinic as your place of employment. These roles are not in hospitals but in GP clinics, with many opportunities available in regional areas (known as DPA regions).

Once hired, your employer applies for supervisor registration with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and for your registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

You will then apply for the Practice Experience Program (PEP). Many IMGs are assessed as “Partially Comparable” due to differences between their specialist training system and the RACGP framework.

If assessed as “Partially Comparable,” you must complete around six months of supervised practice and assessments. Once requirements are met, you can sit the RACGP Fellowship exam (FRACGP).

The FRACGP exam consists of three parts, with a relatively high pass rate (around 80–90%). Compared with the AMC exam, it focuses more on practical and fundamental clinical skills.

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Completing the GP Pathway Entirely in Australia

If you start from scratch in Australia, the process is longer and includes more examinations:

1. Submit proof of English proficiency (IELTS/OET).
2. Pass the AMC exams.
3. Complete the Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) and apply for AHPRA registration.
4. Secure a supervised GP position.
5. Enroll in a GP specialist training program (AGPT or FSP).
6. Pass the FRACGP exam to gain recognition as a specialist GP.

This route begins with English proficiency, followed by the AMC exams. The AMC exams are challenging: Part 1 has a pass rate of about 60%, while Part 2 has a pass rate as low as 20–30%.

After passing the AMC, you must take the PESCI, a clinical interview assessing your suitability for a GP role. The pass rate is around 50%, so thorough preparation is essential.

If you pass, you can register with AHPRA and begin working in a supervised GP role. At this stage, you must enter one of the following training pathways:

• AGPT (Australian General Practice Training): Competitive and selective, mainly for doctors under 35, with a training period of 3–4 years.
• FSP (Fellowship Support Program): More flexible, with fewer age restrictions. This program replaced the former PEP.

Ultimately, you must pass the FRACGP exam to become a fully recognized GP in Australia.

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Summary

This article is based on official RACGP information. For details, refer directly to the RACGP’s official roadmap:
Ref：https://www.racgp.org.au/education/imgs/live-and-practice-medicine-in-australia/roadmap-to-fellowship

In simple terms, the specialist qualification route involves: English exam → employment → training → FRACGP exam. This path is comparatively straightforward, as prior clinical experience is recognized.

By contrast, starting from scratch in Australia means tackling multiple hurdles: English exams, AMC, PESCI, training programs, FRACGP. It is essentially an exam-heavy pathway.

In reality, pursuing the full pathway from scratch can be extremely demanding. For IMGs, it is often more practical to obtain specialist recognition in their home country first, or to explore alternative registration routes such as the Competent Authority Pathway.

If you’re preparing for OET, consider exploring our practice resources at OET Bank. We’re designed not just as mock tests, but as powerful review tools that make it easier to analyze weaknesses and focus on what’s needed to pass.