RACGP Preparation Program (GP500)

The Foundations of Australian General Practice Course subject teaches medical knowledge and skills for the RACGP AKT and KFP exams. The course works through the RACGP Fellowship syllabus via examination of disease processes, presentation, clinical examination, diagnosis, investigation, and management.

The RACGP AKT Preparation Advanced Strategies Course includes 10 full-length AKT Trial Exams (total of 1500 MCQ’s) combining a mixture of question types including: 

• Single best answer
• Modified extended matching

Based on knowledge built from foundation courses such as GP201, candidates will utilise problem-based learning strategies in the domains of:

• Adult Health -Medicine
• Adult Health – Surgery
• Women’s Health
• Child Health
• Mental Health
• Population Health & Ethics

The RACGP KFP Preparation Advanced Strategies Course includes 10 full-length KFP Trial Exams (total of 260 Cases). 

Based on knowledge built from foundation courses such as GP201, candidates will utilise problem-based learning strategies in the domains of:

• Adult Health -Medicine
• Adult Health – Surgery
• Women’s Health
• Child Health
• Mental Health
• Population Health & Ethics

These clinical cases are reasoned within the context of the Australian primary health care system and candidates are directed by the academic faculty to further reading material that will consolidate knowledge in these areas.  By completing this course, candidates will gain knowledge in the areas of pathogenesis, clinical features, investigative findings, primary and differential diagnoses and management of disease.

The overall objective of the RACGP CCE Online Bridging Course (GP204) is to provide GP Registrars with the complete clinical skills theory for the RACGP Fellowship Objective Clinical Competency Exam (CCE). This is achieved by completing the 40 comprehensive modules and clinical tutorials below.

The RACGP CCE Preparation Advanced Strategies Course (GP205) includes 10 individual CCE exams, each with CCE case scenarios that includes assessment scoring criteria and model answers.  The course uses these CCE case-based scenarios to teach core principles, strategies and techniques for approaching the clinical presentation.  Scenarios are written in accordance with the core competencies as stated by the RACGP and are outlined below:

• Communication and Rapport – This covers how candidates go about obtaining a patient’s history, explaining the problem and management, and negotiating agreement on the management plan. Candidates should be patient-centred, empathic and show  that they understand the patient’s concerns, ideas and expectations. The way the candidates ask questions makes a difference.
• History taking – This is not random information gathering, but should be relevant and organised. It reveals clinical thinking. Candidates should learn to apply Murtagh’s safe diagnostic strategy: probability diagnosis, serious disorders, pitfalls, masquerades, and look for the hidden agenda.
• Physical Examination – Candidates should be systematic and logical, and should also consider the patient’s comfort, and explain what they are doing, and communicate findings (positive and significant negative findings) to the examiner as they examine.
• Investigations – These should be appropriate to the stage of presentation. Candidates should remember to consider office/surgery tests, and select relevant, cost-effective investigations in an appropriate sequence, displaying consideration for the safety and comfort of the patient. More is not better: consider what is most useful to discriminate between differential diagnoses. Will the result of this investigation change your management?
• Diagnosis – Candidates may be asked to give a diagnosis, list differential diagnosis, or for a problem definition list. Remember the probability diagnosis and learn to prioritise any list.
• Management – Candidates should determine whether they are being asked only for the initial management. If not, they should consider short-term and long-term management and patient support. Explaining the problem is more than using simple language and it is important to organise and prioritise information in order to avoid overwhelming the patient. Check the patient’s understanding and response to a proposed management plan and remember to safety-net.

The RACGP Live Workshop is comprised of ten complete and representative CCE trial exams each with CCE case scenarios that includes assessment scoring criteria and model answers.  The course uses these CCE case-based scenarios to teach core principles, strategies and techniques for approaching the clinical presentations seen in the Fellowship CCE.

The course is run as a completely representative trial RACGP Fellowship CCE featuring 14 stations each of either 8 or 19 minutes duration. The stations are designed to reflect the typical difficulty and spectrum of presentations seen in the real exam.