RGPSA News

Rural Generalists of SA

June 2025 – Kirsteen Knevitt, Medical Education Officer at YNLHN

This month, we take a slightly different angle and present Kirsteen Knevitt from YNLHN. Kirsteen tells us about her role in the Medical Education Unit and supporting doctors in training.

Past Profiles

News

‘What is SEM?’ Webinar – learn about the single employer model

On 19 June 2024, the RGPSA hosted a webinar event for trainee doctors to learn about the single employer model.

The Single Employer Model (SEM) is a Commonwealth initiative that enables rural generalist and general practice trainees to be employed by a single employer (in this case, SA Health) for up to four years while they complete their vocational training.

The event features a presentation from the Rural Support Service, detailing how the model will be trialled across the state and Q&A session.

‘What is SEM’ Information webinar for trainees – video recording

Single Employer Model (SEM) Information webinar PowerPoint presentation slides – June 2024

Dr Michael Beckoff
RGPSA Clinical Lead and Chair – Rural Generalist Program Steering Committee
MBBS, FACRRM, FAICD, Assoc. Dipl. Agric (Dist)

I am pleased to advise that in August 2025, the Council of Health Ministers approved the proposal for Rural Generalism to be recognised as a new specialist field within general practice. This means Rural Generalists will now have a protected title and the specialty will be formally listed on the national register of medical specialties.

The journey towards national recognition began in 2019, when the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) commenced working with the Office of the Rural Health Commissioner and formed the National Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce.

The Taskforce worked tirelessly over several years progressing through the various stages of the application process with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA). The MBA, in turn, supported the proposal and recommended the recognition of the specialty to health ministers after a rigorous assessment process.

The change means GPs with an approved Fellowship of the RACGP or ACRRM will be able to apply for specialist registration as a Rural Generalist under a protected title and their skills and qualifications can be incorporated into the National Law that governs registered health professions. Recognition is an important step in the process towards an accredited qualification.

This recognition is also vital to ensure the success of the Rural Generalist Training Pathway programs in each state and territory. Skilled and well-trained Rural Generalists provide valued services to rural and remote communities and with the expansion and success of this program, comes positive health outcomes and a much needed stable workforce.

Now that Rural Generalist Medicine (RGM) has been nationally recognised as a specialist field, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) can now assess training programs in rural generalist medicine for accreditation, ahead of the MBA deciding whether to approve qualifications for the purposes of specialist registration.

Once there is an approved qualification, medical practitioners with the approved qualification can apply for specialist registration in rural generalist medicine. The MBA is now working through transition arrangements for doctors practising in this area, pending the outcome of the AMC qualification accreditation process.

Links for more information:

RACGP: Rural Generalist Recognition

ACRRM: Rural Generalist Medicine

National Rural Generalist Pathway (NRGP)