The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has secured a $751.3 million, five-year Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Grant agreement with the Federal Government, the longest and largest training agreement ever awarded to a medical college.

With interest in general practice at an all-time high, the RACGP has filled every available place across the initial AGPT contract, with a record 1772 doctors joining the program in 2026 - a nearly 19% increase on 2025’s record-breaking number of future GPs.

Of the 2026 cohort:

• 841 doctors on the rural training pathway will spend all three years of their training in regional, rural, or remote communities. This is a 44.2% increase on 2025, driven by a 125% rise in interest in rural training since 2024.

• 293 doctors (16.5% of the cohort) will train as rural generalists, gaining an extra year of skills in emergency medicine and hospital care essential for rural communities.

“The RDANSW welcomes the announcement of new training places for general practice across Australia, recognising the increasing investment into and recognition of the importance of general practice by the Federal Government,” says President RDA NSW Rachel Christmas.

“It is important to note that the number of new positions takes into account undersubscription of previous years and the carrying forward of that funding to allow for the positions to be filled now.

“So, whilst the increase in numbers of registrars and training positions looks impressive, it is still making up for many years of undersubscription and under investment in general practice training.

“The ongoing challenge is to continue supporting the supervision (and supervisors) of these registrars in general practice, especially in rural areas." 

The continued investment into general practice is seen as critical to ensuring its viability. 

“With the recent recognition of rural generalism as a sub-specialty of general practice, the next step is seeing it embedded within our health system industrially and within the state systems to support trainees and current RGs in attaining and maintaining their skills to be able to serve their rural communities,” said Dr Christmas.

Bogan Shire Council, which operates its own medical centre in Nyngan, says the additional funding can only be a good thing for rural medicine.

Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Francis says rural communities are struggling to attract GPs. [IMAGE: A.White]

“Rural communities like ours are struggling to attract GPs so this initiative to train more doctors is very welcome,” says Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Frances.

“The rural training pathway is especially important because we know that, more often than not, when people have experienced living and working in the bush, they like it and are more inclined to stay rural.

"Most people just don’t know what’s out here – but there are heaps of opportunities."

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright [IMAGE: RACGP]

In announcing the new funding, RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said GPs across the country will benefit, taking time to acknowledge GP training supervisors and training practices who have and will help achieve this vital outcome.

“Their commitment to high-quality education is the foundation of the Government’s confidence in our ongoing delivery and is recognised across three years of independently conducted medical trainee surveys and the GP National Registrar Survey,” he said.

“General practice is central to Australia’s healthcare system and RACGP training prepares our general practice registrars for lifelong practice as GPs anywhere in Australia.”