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Acronyms and jargon
GP jargon – crack the code!
GPET, AGPT, RTPs, AGPN, DoHA, GPRIP – so many acronyms! What do they all stand for? Browse our jargon-busting acronym and abbreviations guide to crack the code.
AAAPC – Australian Association for Academic Primary Care. Formerly AAAGP.
AAPM – Australian Association of Practice Managers
ACIR – Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
ACRRM – Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine: One of two general practice colleges. Has a curriculum of educational objectives for rural GPs and a fellowship process for vocational recognition (FACRRM).
AFP – Australian Family Physician. The official journal of the RACGP.
AGPAL – Australian General Practice Accreditation Ltd: This organisation completes accreditation of practices throughout Australia.
AGPN – Australian General Practice Network: The national body that represents the Divisions. Previously Australian Divisions of General Practice.
AGPT – Australian General Practice Training: The training program for GP registrars.
AIDA – Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association
AKT – Applied Knowledge Test: A component of the RACGP fellowship exam.
AMPCo – Australian Medical Publishing Company: Register with them to get a free subscription to Medicine Today, Australian Doctor and Medical Observer. To arrange this, visit www.ampco.com.au.
AMA – Australian Medical Association: An independent organisation that represents the professional interests of all doctors including political, legal and industrial.
AMH – Australian Medicines Handbook
AMSA – Australian Medical Students’ Association
ARST – Advanced rural skills training
ASGC-RA – Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Areas: This is the Australian Bureau of Statistics model by which all cities, towns and locations in Australia are assigned a number between RA 1-5. This is used to calculate incentive payments to doctors outside metropolitan areas. The ASGC-RA is as follows:
- RA 1 – Major cities
- RA 2 – Inner regional
- RA 3 – Outer regional
- RA 4 – Remote
- RA 5 – Very remote
A map of Australia with the above classifications is available at www.doctorconnect.gov.au.
CMO – Career Medical Officer
Divisions of General Practice Federally funded to provide support and educational activities to GPs and local primary care services within their Division (local area); for example, diabetes nurse educators. Registrars should find out which Division their practice belongs to and join. GP registrar membership is free in some regions.
DHAS – Doctors’ Health Advisory Service
DoHA – Department of Health and Ageing The Commonwealth Government Department responsible for health and ageing.
DVA – Department of Veterans’ Affairs
ECT – External clinical teacher
ESP – Extended skills post A component of AGPT comprising a six-month training post in either general practice or an area of relevant skills; for example, obstetrics and gynaecology, accident and emergency.
FACRRM – Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
FARGP – Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice.
FRACGP – Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
GPET – General Practice Education and Training Limited A government limited company that funds and contracts with RTPs to deliver the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program.
GPR – General practice registrar; GP registrar
GPRA – General Practice Registrars Australia Ltd Represents GP registrar issues to AGPT, RACGP, DoHA and many other bodies involved in training.
GPRIP – General Practice Rural Incentives Program Find out more about financial incentives for GP registrars.
GPSA – General Practice Supervisors’ Association
GPT1, GPT2, GPT3: General practice terms 1, 2 and 3 Part of the RACGP curriculum.
HIC – Health Insurance Commission: Now known as Medicare Australia.
HMO – Hospital Medical Officer
HWA – Health Workforce Australia
IMG – International medical graduate: Also known as OTDs (overseas-trained doctors). GP registrars who are IMGs/OTDs may be subject to the Section 19AB moratorium which requires them to practise and train in areas of need such as rural/remote and outer metropolitan for up to 10 years, although it is now possible to reduce this time period by practising in more remote areas.
JAC – Joint Advisory Committee
JCC – Joint Consultative Committee
KFP – Key Feature Problems A component of the RACGP fellowship exam.
MBS – Medicare Benefits Schedule
ME and TA – Medical educators and training advisors: One of these people gives advice and guidance to individual registrars about their training.
MCQs – Multiple choice questions (a component of the RACGP fellowship exam)
NGPSA – National GP Supervisors’ Association: Not to be confused with the SLON (Supervisor Liaison Officers’ Network), although they are essentially the same people. NGSPA is the GPRA equivalent for supervisors. They undertake an advocacy role for supervisors, particularly in terms and conditions negotiations.
NMTC – National Minimum Terms and Conditions: A document prepared for GP registrars in their first and second general practice terms that outlines the legal requirements of contracts between registrars and their practices, including salary guidelines.
NPS – National Prescribing Service A Commonwealth Government-funded organisation that provides independent information on the prescription and use of various medications. Lots of resources and case studies for GP registrars can be found at www.nps.org.au.
NRHSN – National Rural Health Students’ Network
OSCE – Objective Structured Clinical Examination: A component of the RACGP fellowship exam.
OTC – Over the counter
OTD – Overseas-trained doctor – see IMG: Also known as IMGs (international medical graduates). May be subject to the Section 19AB moratorium.
PBS – Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule
PIP – Practice Incentives Program
PGPPP – Prevocational General Practice Placements Program.
QA and CPD – Quality Assurance and Continuing Professional Development
RACGP – Royal Australian College of General Practitioners One of two general practice colleges. Has a fellowship process for vocational recognition (FRACGP). RACGP also offers a Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP).
RACGP Library – RACGP members can access the full suite of services provided by the RACGP John Murtagh Library. Non-members can access some services for a fee. Visit www.racgp.org.au/library.
RACGP State Censor A fellow of the RACGP in each state. Checks that the GP registrar has completed training requirements for the awarding of the RACGP fellowship.
RDAA – Rural Doctors Association of Australia Has state branches. Represents rural doctor issues to government and other organisations.
RDL – Registrar-directed learning
RFDS – Royal Flying Doctor Service
RHWA – Rural Health Workforce Australia
RLO – GP Registrar Liaison Officer Employed by a regional training provider (RTP) to represent and advocate for GP registrars. Works closely with GPRA to look after registrars’ interests.
RMO – Resident Medical Officer
RPBS – Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule
RROC – Registrar Representative on Council: A GP registrar who sits on the council of the RACGP to represent registrar concerns.
RRADO – Registrar Research and Development Officer
RSRF – Registrar Scholarship and Research Fund: A pool of funding maintained by GPET to fund GP registrar research projects.
RTP – Regional Training Provider: RTPs tender for contracts from GPET to provide regionalised GP training.
RVTS – Remote Vocational Training Scheme: Provides distance vocational training to doctors already working in rural and remote locations where on-site supervision is not available.
SBO – State-Based (Divisional) Organisation: A state-funded organisation, not always directly linked to ADGP or individual Divisions. Provides some educational activities that GP registrars can attend.
SIP – Service Incentive Payment
SLO – GP Supervisor Liaison Officer Employed by an RTP to represent and advocate for GP supervisors.
TA – Training advisor
TGA – Therapeutic Goods Administration
TMO – Trainee Medical Officer
UGPA – United General Practice Australia
VMO – Visiting Medical Officer
VR – Vocational registration; vocational recognition
WONCA – World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians
