“Highlighting the Priceless Impact of GP Trainee Grants”
06 Oct 2025
Doctors say Victoria’s GP Training Grant program has made a major difference in encouraging more medical graduates to choose a career in general practice.
The Victorian Government funded $32 million over two years to support doctors entering GP training, offering 800 grants of up to $40,000 each. The program, administered by the RACGP, delivered 356 grants in 2024 and will deliver 364 in 2025 before closing at the end of September.
The initiative has been credited with helping to boost GP trainee numbers in the state, showing a 22% annual increase this year. It also served as a model for a similar Federal Government program announced in March.
A State Government survey found the program played a key role in influencing doctors’ career decisions.
- 44% of respondents said they would have chosen a different medical specialty without the grant.
- Nearly two-thirds said the funding encouraged them to start GP training.
For Melbourne doctor Luke Martin, the grant made a big difference.
“I took a pay cut to begin GP training. I was earning more as a surgical resident, and with a young family, that’s not an easy choice,” he told newsGP.
Dr Martin said the grant helped him relocate to a rural community and cover the costs of moving and exams.
“It’s been incredibly helpful. Country patients are welcoming, and I can make a real difference where doctors are in short supply.”
Another recipient, Dr Buvanes Lim, said the funding supported her training through the Fellowship Support Program and reaffirmed her trust in Victoria’s fair and transparent selection process.
“This experience has strengthened my respect for the system’s commitment to equity and opportunity,” she said.
“As an international medical graduate, the grant provided not just financial support, but also the confidence to continue pursuing my professional goals in Australia.”
The program also helped strengthen the rural workforce, with 59% of grant recipients working in regional Victoria and 13% relocating from overseas or interstate to take up positions.
RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz praised the State Government for leading the way.
“Victoria recognised early that too many GP trainees were missing out on basic entitlements like parental leave and long service leave when training outside hospitals,” she said.
“This program has helped address those barriers.”
The success of Victoria’s initiative has inspired similar efforts elsewhere. Queensland launched its own incentive scheme after Victoria, and the Federal Government has now committed $248.7 million over four years from 2025–26 to support GP training nationally.
The new federal scheme includes $30,000 incentives for doctors entering GP training, along with paid parental and study leave for GP registrars.
Source: newsGP
