RACGP to Establish National Committee for New Fellows
29 Aug 2025
The RACGP is creating a new National New Fellows Committee to give early-career GPs stronger support and a louder voice within the college.
Becoming a New Fellow can be one of the most challenging stages in a GP’s career. It marks a big step into independent practice, often without the structured support that registrars receive.
While some state-based New Fellows committees currently exist, they vary widely, leaving many new GPs without consistent help. To fix this gap, the RACGP is setting up a national sub-committee within the GPs in Training faculty, which already helps students, registrars, and early-career GPs.
The goal is to give New Fellows consistent support across all states and a clear way to share their concerns with the college Dr Rebecca Loveridge, Chair of RACGP GPs in Training, said the transition to Fellowship is a “risky time” for GPs, with many feeling less connected to the college.
“New Fellows are the future of general practice, so it’s crucial this group is supported and has a strong voice,” she said. The new committee will: Provide a national framework while allowing local flexibility.
Create a direct line of feedback from New Fellows to the RACGP Board. Improve communication, resources, and events tailored to early-career GPs. Dr Cecilia Xiao, Deputy Chair of GPs in Training, added that New Fellows make up about 8000 members and are the most at risk of leaving the college. “Formalising support will help ensure a smooth transition from registrar to Fellow, keeping GPs engaged in their profession,” she said.
Planned activities include updating the New Fellows website, hosting both online and in-person events, and building more early-career GP conferences following the success of recent state events. The National New Fellows Committee will officially begin operating in September 2025, with representatives from every state and territory working together to improve support for GPs during their first five years post-Fellowship. College members can join the GPs in Training faculty or share suggestions for the new committee by emailing GPIT@racgp.org.au.
Source: RACGP