Overview

The Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) in the Northern Territory (NT) provides prevocational doctors in postgraduate years two to three (PGY 2-3) with firsthand experience in general practice.

PGPPP is managed by General Practice Education and Training Ltd (GPET) on behalf of the Australian Government. The Program is facilitated through providers such as NTGPE and delivered by accredited practices and medical services throughout Australia.

NT placements are undertaken for a period of up to 13 weeks in private general practice or an Aboriginal Health Service. Prevocational hospital based doctors (PGY2+) have the opportunity to work in a rural/remote setting or in urban and outer metro locations. Program participants gain exposure to general practice/primary health care in the NT and most will have high-level involvement with Indigenous health clinical settings. An NT placement usually promises the doctor exposure to a broader variety of challenging medicine due to local demographics and challenges.

Clinical and social learning experiences gained from working in a setting other than a major teaching or provincial hospital will enhance learning when the doctor returns to the parent hospital.

PGPPP Brochure

Program Objective and Aims

The program objective is to provide professional, well supervised and educational general practice placements for Prevocational Doctors as part of their training.

National PGPPP Project Objectives and Aims

The aims are three-fold:

1. Build Prevocational Doctors’ confidence, exposure and interest in working in outer metropolitan, regional and rural areas through supervised general practice placements of varying duration, up to 13 weeks.
2. Increase understanding of the integration between primary and secondary health care by Prevocational Doctors.
3. Provide an experience that will encourage prevocational doctors to take up general practice as a career.

NT Specific PGPPP Program Objectives

1. Develop an appreciation of the huge variety of roles available working as a GP in rural and remote practice.
2. Explore the varying team roles of a GP in a primary health care team and the importance of team work.
3. Begin to explore the issues affecting health care delivery in remote and Aboriginal community settings including the challenges of Closing the Gap.
4. Have a rich cross cultural experience.
5. Develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their skills and develop reflective practice skills.