The upcoming More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) is part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy which was announced in the 2018-19 Budget. Learn about eligibility and application process in Victoria.
The MDRAP has been established to support non-vocationally recognised doctors to gain valuable general practice experience in rural and remote communities before joining a college fellowship program.
The MDRAP has been designed to be available to both Australian Trained and Overseas Trained Doctors thereby providing rural communities with access to an extended workforce. The MDRAP in Victoria will include:
- doctors currently working in general practice (including AMDS, SAPP) transitioning to new college fellowship pathways;
- doctors working in the Australian hospital system seeking opportunities to pursue general practice as a career;
- new overseas trained doctors pursuing a career in general practice in Australia.
MDRAP placements are location specific. Applicants and locations must meet the eligibility criteria set out in the guidelines (available on our website) to be granted an approved placement. All doctors are subject to the same basic eligibility criteria however the length of placement, education and fellowship application requirements can vary depending on category.
Successful applicants will be granted an approved placement under section 3GA of the Health Insurance Act 1973 which will provide them with access to the Medicare Benefits Schedule.
The commencement date for MDRAP is 29 April 2019. For more information about the program, visit the DrConnect website. To register your interest for a MDRAP placement please email us at GPprograms@rwav.com.au
Please note in relation to the Rural Locum Relief Program, there is no requirement for doctors on existing programs to move to MDRAP and they may continue on their respective programs until the end of the placement. Any existing placements on OMPs programs will continue until 30 June 2023.
