RGSEP is an employment pathway for junior doctors seeking a career as a Rural Generalist. Trainees on the pathway are employed for up to four years by a regional Local Health District (LHD), while completing training in both primary care and hospital settings.
Trainees are employed by a regional LHD under the NSW Health Medical Officer Award – ensuring they receive the same pay and conditions as their hospital-trained counterparts. This allows trainees to retain, and continue to accrue, their NSW Health award entitlements including sick, study, annual, parental and long service leave.
The RGSEP program is available for trainees who have yet to commence or are already part way through their GP training. The contract may last up to four years depending on their stage of training. The positions are for trainees at PGY 3 level or above.
Positions are available in regional local health districts (LHD): Far West, Western NSW, Hunter New England, Mid North Coast, Murrumbidgee, Northern NSW, Southern NSW and Illawarra Shoalhaven. Opportunities also exist for trainees to complete hospital training in the Central Coast LHD whilst employed by Far West LHD (RACGP only). Whilst aligned to a central hospital within the LHD, the trainee may be required to perform their duties at peripheral or neighbouring communities.
Whilst on a RGSEP length-of-training contract, Rural Generalist trainees will undertake learning and professional development activities with the aim of progressing through training to achieve at least one advanced skill and Fellowship of either the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners–Rural Generalist (RACGP-RG).
