25 Years of GPRA
Dr Meredith Arcus Q and A
How and when were you involved with GPRA?
In February 1999, I became Chair of the GPRA for three years. At the time, GPRA stood for the General Practice Registrar Association, which later became General Practice Registrars Australia in 2001. I was the Registrar Liaison Officer (RLO) for the WA RACGP training program in Perth.
GPRA had historically been funded through the RACGP training budget. However, the creation of General Practice Education and Training (GPET) by the then Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, combined with broader changes in the training environment including rancour between the Colleges, made it clear that GPRA needed to become an independent body.
The RACGP had long included the GPRA Chair in State Directors meetings and had a Registrar Representative on Council. I was concerned that this level of registrar participation would not be replicated in the new national training framework.
I approached the Department of Health and Aged Care to support me as a project officer to develop a new, independent GPRA, made up of representatives from the 26 newly established Regional Training Providers (RTPs).
The Registrar Research and Development Officer (RRADO) at the time was Dr Kirsten Baulch from Queensland, whose management and financial skills were exceptional and instrumental in establishing the new organisation.
The Department accepted my proposal and agreed to fund GPRA directly as an independent body. Thus, 25 years ago, the new GPRA was born.
To ensure continuity during this significant transition, I extended my own GP training and remained in the Chair role longer than originally planned, so the new organisation could be properly established and supported.
During this period, I also appointed Professor John Murtagh as GPRA’s inaugural Patron. His support and belief in the importance of registrar representation gave GPRA enormous credibility in its early years and reinforced the organisation’s role within the broader general practice community.
What did you learn through GPRA that has stayed with you and shaped your career or leadership journey?
GP registrars are skilled representatives and natural leaders.
My guiding principle – and constant refrain – was: “If registrars are not at the table, you should not be talking about general practice education and training.”
GPRA also showed me the importance of teaching emerging leaders how to advocate – not just encouraging them to speak up, but actively showing them how to engage with decision-makers and represent their peers with confidence.
Looking back, how would you describe GPRA’s evolution as an organisation over the past 25 years?
What started as a small independent organisation with no staff is now a powerful representative and advocacy body, consistently representing the issues central to general practice training at the highest levels of government.
Its strength has always come from registrars themselves – their willingness to step forward, take responsibility and advocate not only for their own training, but for the future of general practice.
In 25 words or less, what should the next 25 years look like for GPRA?
GPRA will continue to be successful as it remains committed to the aspirations and lived experiences of GP registrars.
If you could give one piece of advice to today’s future GPs, what would it be?
Speak up and be heard.
Finish this sentence: “GPRA’s impact on general practice in Australia has been…”
Significant and enduring.
Above all, GPRA has ensured that GP registrars are never spoken about without being present – a principle that remains as important today as it was 25 years ago.
About GPRA
General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is the national independent voice for future GPs in Australia (www.gpra.org.au)
Note: The views shared in GPRA’s 25th anniversary interviews reflect the personal experiences and perspectives of each contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of General Practice Registrars Australia.
