From Training to Fellowship: 14-Year Journey Recognised in GP Achievement
11 Sep 2025
Reflecting on her journey and advocacy work, Dr Rebecca Loveridge celebrates her achievements with family at a recent RACGP ceremony.
Dr Rebecca Loveridge, Chair of the RACGP GPs in Training faculty, recently celebrated becoming an RACGP Fellow at a ceremony in Melbourne, accompanied by her young son. Her achievement marks the culmination of a 14-year journey from finishing high school to completing GP training.
Dr Loveridge reflected on the challenges she faced in starting a family during training. Previously, there was no funded maternity or parental leave for GPs in training, a barrier not experienced by hospital-based medical trainees. When she became Chair of the GPs in Training faculty in late 2023, she focused on advocating for paid parental leave and study leave.
Although the 2024 Budget did not include funding, persistence paid off. The 2025–26 Federal Budget allocated almost $44 million for paid parental and study leave for GPs in training, a major step forward in supporting trainees to balance family and career.
“It’s really levelled the playing field. People can now focus on what’s right for them and their family,” Dr Loveridge said.
Dr Loveridge now works in custodial health at the Youth Detention Centre in Melbourne, where she leads the precinct’s GP team, developing her leadership and clinical governance skills. She also oversees initiatives for New Fellows, supporting doctors in their first five years post-Fellowship through the newly established National New Fellows Committee.
“Once you’ve finished training, the whole world opens up. The focus for me is to make sure New Fellows feel connected, engaged, and supported by the college,” she said.
For Dr Loveridge, the ceremony was particularly meaningful: not only did it celebrate her professional achievement, but it also acknowledged her personal journey, including the early arrival of her first child.
“Having my son on the stage and my family in the audience really solidified the 14-year journey to this point,” she said.
(Source: newsGP, RACGP)
