The ACRRM Rural Generalist Fellowship Program is now fully accredited by the AMC, FACRRM is an approved qualification in the specialist field of Rural Generalist Medicine. If you hold a FACRRM, you will be able to apply directly through Ahpra for registration as a specialist Rural Generalist. This specialist registration will be recorded on the national Register of Medical Practitioners and is held in addition to your registration as a specialist General Practitioner.

All medical registration processes, including specialist Rural Generalist registration, are managed by Ahpra. To add Rural Generalist registration, there is a two-step process:

1. Renew your existing registration/s with Ahpra in the usual way
2. Eligible Rural Generalists can then start an application for Rural Generalist registration and pay the additional fee.

You will be able to apply as a specialist Rural Generalist in addition to your other registration/s renewal via the Ahpra portal. You must renew any existing registration/s before adding Rural Generalist.

Yes. You can apply at any time during the registration year. You must renew your existing registration/s before adding Rural Generalist registration.  Note that:

• Ahpra does not apply pro-rata to registration fees, so you will pay the full fee regardless of when you register (except in August/ September 2027).
• If you don’t register by 29 March 2027, you will not be able to refer to yourself as a Rural Generalist after that date.

Now that qualifications in Rural Generalist Medicine (i.e. FACRRM and FRACGP-RG) are accredited by the Medical Board of Australia, eligible Rural Generalists with these qualifications will be able to apply for specialist Rural Generalist registration.

ACRRM and RACGP will provide an initial list of Fellows who are eligible for registration to date. Ahpra will provide instructions in the portal about what details or evidence they require to support your application.

No, it’s your choice whether to apply for Rural Generalist registration. You will need to apply directly to Ahpra.

No, it is optional to apply for specialist Rural Generalist registration. However, after the title becomes protected under the National Law from 29 March 2027, you will not be able to refer to yourself as a Rural Generalist if you do not hold specialist RG registration.

You will continue to pay your annual specialist registration fee.

The Medical Board of Australia has indicated that there will be an additional application fee of $543 for Rural Generalist registration. This is paid once only, after which time you will pay the standard renewal fee for all your registrations.

You will need to apply before the protected title takes effect from 29 March 2027 onward, if you want to refer to yourself as a Rural Generalist.

Specialist Rural Generalist registration provides formal recognition of the unique skills, training and expertise required to practise as a Rural Generalist and deliver comprehensive care to rural and remote Australians. From 29 March 2027, the title specialist Rural Generalist will become protected under the National Law. If you intend to refer to yourself as a Rural Generalist from 29 March 2027, you will need to register with Ahpra.

This does not impact your ongoing registration as a GP and does not impact your work if you are working within your scope of practice.

Yes, you should notify your employer if you add a new registration type (such as a specialist registration or an endorsement) if it is relevant to your current role, changes your scope of practice, or is required by your employment contract.

No. You’ll  continue to hold your specialist GP registration and will still need to renew it every year with Ahpra.

No. Rural Generalist is listed as a specialty within the field of General Practice.

Not at the moment. The Medical Board of Australia is considering whether any changes to CPD requirements are needed. CPD Home members will be informed of any changes to CPD requirements for Rural Generalists.

At present, the impact on medical indemnity insurance is unknown. We recommend that you contact your insurance provider directly for advice.

The process of regulatory specialty recognition is separate from Commonwealth benefit programs.

Eligibility for the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) is established under separate Commonwealth Government application and assessment processes, which the College continues to actively advocate for.

There is no immediate impact on your Medicare Provider Number or billing rights.

No. The Medical Board of Australia has approved the current training program as a qualification leading to registration and there’s no change to how you progress through training, your completion date or assessment requirements.

The curriculum undergoes regular review and continuous quality improvement so that it remains fit for purpose. Any significant changes to the curriculum will need to be reviewed by the Australian Medical Council.

If you register as a specialist Rural Generalist, it enables you to describe yourself as either a specialist RG or specialist GP or both.

There are currently no restrictions to using the Rural Generalist title. However, after 29 March 2027 you will only be able to use it if you hold specialist Rural Generalist registration with Ahpra.

The Medical Board of Australia has determined that the title is “Specialist Rural Generalist”. It will appear on the register as a second specialty along with your GP registration. Like other specialties, it is expected that the protected title will encompass “Rural Generalist” to avoid public confusion (i.e. there may be no need to always include “specialist”).

Fellows can use the title "Rural Generalist" now, as they do today. From 29 March 2027, "Specialist Rural Generalist" becomes protected under the National Law, and only Ahpra registered Specialist Rural Generalists will be able to use it.

From 29 March 2027, you may use the protected title only if you are an Ahpra registered Specialist Rural Generalist.

After the protected title takes effect, they will no longer be able to refer to themselves by that title. These practitioners should contact the College if they would like their training and experience assessed for equivalency to the Fellowship training program.

Using a protected title without authorisation is a statutory offence known as “holding out”. The Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra may prosecute offenders through the courts. Penalties may include a fine, a formal reprimand, or conditions/ suspension/ cancellation of medical registration.

Eligibility requirements will be determined separately by ACRRM and RACGP for their Fellows.

All ACRRM members who have been awarded FACRRM from 2007 are eligible to apply for specialist Rural Generalist registration.

ACRRM is considering eligibility requirements for those awarded Fellowship before 2007.

Since the training program has evolved over time, the Medical Board of Australia determined that Fellowships awarded since 2007 are eligible for registration as an approved (since 30 June 2026) or as a substantially relevant (from 2007 to 30 June 2026) qualification.

ACRRM will determine whether those awarded Fellowship prior to 2007 qualify for registration via a “relevant qualification in rural generalist medicine” and will provide a list of eligible rural generalists in this category directly to Ahpra.

If you currently hold a specialist GP registration, you can continue to practise as a GP to your full scope of practice, which may include elements of Rural Generalist Medicine.

There are pathways to Fellowship with ACRRM that may help close the gap, including the Independent Pathway (which includes the Rural Experienced Entry to Fellowship, or REEF, pathway) and, if you already have prior learning recognised, completing any outstanding curriculum components.

SIMGs are assessed by ACRRM on behalf of the Medical Board of Australia, via the IMG Specialist Pathway.

All SIMGs will receive FACRRM on successful completion of ACRRM assessment, so will be eligible for Rural Generalist registration in the same way Australian graduates are.

SIMGs who apply for specialist GP registration via the Aphra Expedited Pathway will need to also satisfactorily complete FACRRM through one of the ACRRM pathways to attain specialist RG registration.