There are a number of financial supports, provided by the Commonwealth Government, available to rural and remote doctors, at various levels of training and/or experience. The calculator aims to help individuals understand what they may be entitled to, and easily access individual program information.

Important tips to using the calculator:

• The calculator provides a guide only to the maximum level of financial support available to rural and remote doctors, based on the search parameters and a full year.
• The amount calculated will change if your circumstances change. For example, if you move location, amend work hours or you do not access the full entitlement. If you change scenarios, click on Refresh Calculator to obtain most accurate estimate.
• Individual medical practitioners are responsible for ensuring their eligibility for each program (see below for program links), and completing the required activities to access the financial support.
• Number of days in primary care – some programs work on a weekly amount, some work on an average, rostered days and others allow for work to be completed in blocks. A day is primary care is generally defined by a minimum of 4 hours, however there may be slight variance for individual programs. The calculator uses an annual total to calculate the potential financial support.  For example, one day per week (RAS Part Time in Primary Care), allowing for four weeks annual leave is 48 days per year (RAS Full time clinical), 2 days/wk 96 days, 3 days/wk 144 days (HELP Debt).
• What is MMM? – Modified Monash Model is a rating system which is used to reflect increasing rurality and remoteness as well as community size.  Click here to look up your MMM.
• For best display results please use the calculator on Tablet, Desktop or Laptop computer. On a mobile phone, try turning it sideways.

 

Commonwealth programs included in the calculator:

• Workforce Incentive Program: Rural Advanced Skills ​(Stream 1 Emergency & Stream 2 Advance skills)
  • In recognition of the emergency and/or an area of advanced clinical skill clinical practice aligned which Rural GPs or Rural Generalists provide.  Registration is open, and payments commenced in January 2024, retrospective for work undertaken in 2023.   Note there is a minimum requirement of general practice/primary care service.
• HELP debt reduction for Rural Doctors and Nurse Practitioners ​
  •  An initiative to support GPs and NPs working in rural or remote.  If you work in MMM 3-5 and are beyond your post graduate year three, you HELP Debt will be eliminated or reduced depending on the length of medical degree, and the period you work in a rural or remote location.  Note there is a minimum requirement of general practice/primary care service.
• Workforce Incentive Program Doctor Stream ​
  • A retention payment that is scaled by MMM and years of service.
• Rural Procedural Grants Program (ACRRM)     OR      Rural Procedural Grants Program (RACGP) ​
  • Rural GPs who provide procedural services or emergency services (including mental health emergency care) are eligible to be paid to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) activities including courses, and clinical placements and receive $2,000/day up to 10 days per procedural skill per year, and 3 days each for mental health and emergency CPD per year.
• AGPT Nationally consistent payments framework for practices, supervisor and registrars ​
  • For registrars a payment is made at the start of the GP/RG term, scaled for MMM, for the two years (FT assumption) of GP/RG placement, following hospital year.
  • The calculator is based on a full year in one MMM location for the registrar.  Practice and supervisor payments are not included in the calculator due to variations in payment arrangements.
• RGTS Registrar Direct Payments
  • For registrars payment is made at the start of the RG term, scaled for MMM, for the four years of the training program.
  • The calculator is based on a full year in one MMM location for the registrar.  Practice and supervisor payments are not included in the calculator due to the variations in payment arrangements.

There are additional scholarships, bursaries and payments available that are not currently included in the calculator. These include:

• AGPT and RGTS funding support for supervisors and practices.
• Additional AGPT Registrar funding from RACGP or ACRRM is available to practice, supervisors and registrars under the Flexible Funds
• RVTS provide generous funding for registrars, supervisors and practices under their training program. 
• Rural Workforce Agencies for scholarships and bursaries:
  • Health Workforce Qld
  • NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) 
  • Rural Health West
  • RWAV
  • Northern Territory PHN
  • HR Plus Tasmania
  • RDWA SA
• Regional Training Hubs
• MyMedicare initiative is changing the way funding support is provided to general practice, and to better support multidisciplinary care.
• Practice Incentive Program(PIP) PIP includes funding to support practices, generally linked to specific activities, and health care professionals, including GPs, and offers a range of financial incentives in recognition of services in areas such as After Hours, Procedural Practice, Indigenous Health, Quality Improvement.

Rural Consultant Specialist CPD Support:

• Support for Rural Specialists in Australia

Please note Commonwealth GP incentives are currently subject to review, and information on this page may be subject to change. RDAA will work to maintain currency of the information provided on this page.