Patients in the Northern Territory will soon find it easier than ever to see a GP, with a record number of future specialist GPs commencing specialist training in the Commonwealth-funded Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program with the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP).
In 2026, 31 future GPs have commenced training in the Northern Territory, 173% more than in 2025, filling the majority of available AGPT training places in the Territory and bringing the total number currently completing the minimum three-year training program in the NT to 82. Of these 31 future GPs:
- 19 on an AGPT rural training pathway will spend the complete three-plus years of their training in the Territory's rural or remote areas, an 111% increase on 2025, supporting access to primary care in Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy as well as remote communities including Borroloola and Wurrumiyunga on Bathurst Island.
- 12 on a general pathway will train in Darwin, almost triple the number in 2025, with at least 12 months outside the capital-city region or at an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training post
- 7 will train as Rural Generalists (RGs), a subspecialty of general practice which includes an extra year of training in emergency medicine and disciplines like obstetrics and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health that rural communities need.
The NT also benefits from being a specific region of need where future GPs who are based in NSW, Victoria, or Queensland for the majority of their training on a composite pathway can take an NT placement in their second or third year as part of a composite pathway.
As a result of this RACGP composite pathway, the 16 future GPs starting their training under the AGPT are joined by a further six GPs in training from Victoria and NSW, who will spend the next six months of their training in the NT.
RACGP NT Chair Dr Sam Heard said the increased number of GPs training in the NT reflects a growing recognition of the Territory's unique and rewarding training experiences.
"The growth in the number of GPs training in the NT is an excellent result. The Territory is a fantastic place to train, and it is pleasing to see that message is making an impact. The extra GPs in training will help ease the pressure on patient wait times and access to GP appointments but we need to view it as a start," Dr Heard said.
"Our GPs in training will be taking up placements in GP practices and health clinics in towns and also in remote communities across the NT. They all need access to accommodation in order to be able to live and work in our communities, much of which is increasingly rundown. The increasing numbers of medical students coming through CDU and Flinders Universities is also terrific but does put an additional burden on existing infrastructure."
"We are calling on the NT Health Minister to stand up and oversee a collaborative and co-ordinated effort by town councils, land councils, health service providers and other key stakeholders to address housing and accommodation to support GP training and medical student placements across the Territory. It is the key rate-limiting step at the moment preventing us from training more doctors in the Territory.
A further 10 eligible doctors applied to train as GPs in the NT, indicating with more Commonwealth-funded AGPT places and support for GP supervisors, the RACGP can train more specialist GPs.
The remarkable 173% increase in in junior doctors training as GPs with the RACGP in the NT, well ahead of the 19% growth nationally, reflects greater numbers than a strong result in 2024 following a smaller 2025 GP training cohort, demonstrating growing recognition of the Territory's unique and rewarding training experiences.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright called on the Federal Government to invest in training to support all communities' access to GPs.
"We've worked with the Federal Government and health department to fill all available Australian GP Training Program places, for the second year in a row," he said.
"The astounding 47% national growth in future specialist GPs training on a rural pathway shows what we've said about GPs in general is true here too – funding gets results.
"Registrars and medical students who experience rural general practice are far more likely to ultimately practice in a rural setting. Communities outside our capital cities need more specialist GPs. There have been improvements in access for some areas, but the RACGP is determined to be part of the solution.
"There has been an 81% increase in applications to train as a specialist GP with the RACGP since 2024. Doctors are hearing that it's an excellent training program with rewarding patient relationships and rare work-life balance.
"Last year we said with more funding, we can train more GPs. The Federal Government's investments this year have helped fulfil its promise to train more GPs, but the evidence is clear that we can still grow the future GP workforce further. We need long-term commitment beyond 2028, because we've shown we can deliver.
"Australia needs more specialist GPs, the RACGP is ready and willing to train them, and we're calling on the Government to make that happen."
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