The Tamesis
This is because more and more junior doctors are training in general medicine.
The Australian government has announced an investment of A$9.704 million to create 306 new general practice (GP) training places in 2026 through the Australian General Practitioner Training (AGPT) program.
The government said in a statement that the program will be delivered by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
The investment will take the total number of doctors starting GP training to about 2,100, a 14 per cent increase on the Australian government’s previous record of 1,840 in 2025, the report added.
The government says since investing in strengthening Medicare, more junior doctors are training as GPs and more doctors are registering to practice in Australia.
“By growing the health workforce and strengthening health insurance, our government is making health care more accessible and affordable for all Australians,” the Minister for Health, Aging and the National Disability Insurance Scheme said in the announcement.
The College of General Practitioners has reported an increase in demand for AGPT training places, reflecting increased interest in the GP profession following training incentives in the Government’s 2025-26 Budget, the announcement said.
The report adds that almost half of the training under the AGPT program occurs in regional, rural and remote areas, thereby strengthening the local health workforce in communities that need it most.
As part of the $443.47 million Medicare package, the Government will continue to invest in more GP training places in 2027-28 and beyond to expand the primary care workforce.
