The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

The education and training programme for doctors becoming general practitioners is the General Practice Education Programme - GPEP. This programme is based on you working in general practice, with the opportunity to work in rural and/or urban practices and to experience a variety of practice environments. Throughout the programme you will undertake a learning programme supported by trained educators and teachers. This programme is the standard pathway to Fellowship and vocational registration as a general practitioner.

The standard full-time GPEP programme is 36 months and is completed in two stages. There are options available for completing this part time. If you have previous general practice experience this may be recognised and therefore shorten your time in the programme.

The first stage of 10 months is referred to as GPEP1 and the second stage of 26 months is referred to as GPEP2. You will sit the Primex examinations at the end of GPEP1, and then undergo the Fellowship assessment on the completion of GPEP2.

The following diagram gives an overview of how the training programme fits in your postgraduate years.