Welcome to becoming (or about to become) a newly-Fellowed General Practitioner!
By Dr Daniel Mogg (GPRA Medical and Training Advisor)
It feels good to finally have those exams behind you, your training time completed and get to take those new post-nominals out for a spin. However, it isn’t long before you realise that there is a lot of administration that goes with the change from registrar to fellow.
Our New-Fellow Checklist will assist you through this process. It will help you to think about the things you need to get organised or update as you embark on independent practice.
Advise your Medical Defence Organisation
- Advise your MDO that you are now a Fellow of your college.
- Many MDOs offer discounted premiums in the first few years of independent practice so enquire about this.
- It can also be a good time to get quotes from a few MDOs to find the best deal for you.
- This is also a good time to consolidate your MDO arrangements (in case you still have a few policies running from medical school days).
Apply to AHPRA specialist registration
- Most new Fellows will have had general registration while completing their GP training.
- Ongoing GP access to Medicare rebates is linked to specialist registration with AHPRA.
- You will need to complete the required form. There is also a one-off application fee. See here for more information.
Become familiar with your new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements
- Registrars’ training counts as CPD. New Fellows have to manage their own
- All registered medical practitioners must complete 50 hours of CPD per calendar year which must be made up of three types of activities:
- Reviewing performance
- Measuring outcomes
- Traditional learning and education activities
- More information on the hours required for each and the types of activities that count can be found here.
- In addition, GPs must complete a CPR course every 3 years (counts as an “educational activity”).
- To manage your CPD, you must join a “CPD home” which will help you meet your requirements and keep track of your CPD hours. A home can be a college home (e.g. RACGP, ACRRM) or a non-college home.
Find an accountant to discuss your new financial arrangements
- Many registrars will move from an employment arrangement when they were training to becoming a contractor or “sole trader” (or maybe even a partner in a practice) when they become a new Fellow.
- This will have implications for how you are paid, how you pay tax (including GST) and superannuation.
- Given everyone’s circumstances are slightly different, it is worthwhile speaking to an accountant to get professional advice.
Consider talking with a financial planner
- Some accountants will offer broader financial advice but, generally speaking, their focus is on the details of financial transactions, tax, business structures and self-managed superannuation funds.
- Financial planners generally focus on broader issues around wealth creation and retirement planning.
Become involved in a supportive community of peers and mentors
- Keep an eye out for various events and resources including GPRA’s Alumni newsletters, events and webinars.
- Both colleges often arrange events or resources for new Fellows to attend or utilise.
- For those interested, consider new options for expanding your work beyond clinical practice – education, research, areas of special interest, etc.
- Do not be afraid to reach out to mentors and old supervisors to seek advice about the transition, career development in general, as well as any clinical matters.
