Evaluation of the Pre-Fellowship Program for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) – Health Workforce Queensland and the Rural Workforce Agencies National Coordination Units
Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) and Rural Workforce Agencies (RWA) National Coordination Units (NCU) engaged Healthcare Management Advisors (HMA) to evaluate the Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) Pilot.
The PFP Pilot is funded by the Australian Government as part of the 2023–24 Budget investment in the Strengthening Medicare Initiative. The program provides $30.5 million over two financial years (2023–24 to 2024–25) to support Overseas Trained Doctors and International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are temporary or permanent residents of Australia and other non-vocationally recognised (non-VR) doctors to:
- gain valuable general practice experience before joining a general practitioner (GP) college-led fellowship pathway
- work in primary care settings in areas of need (Distribution Priority Areas (DPA)), thus improving access to general practice in these areas
The evaluation aimed to assess the implementation of the PFP Pilot, and evaluate the implementation, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness, and awareness/reach of the PFP Pilot.
Key tasks of the evaluation included:
- development of an evaluation plan detailing a program logic, and evaluation framework
- analysis of program reporting data, desktop review of program documentation, and an environmental scan of existing (or lapsed) vocational training pathways as part of a situation analysis
- survey of supervisors and participants to understand program requirements and barriers and enablers to participation
- stakeholder consultation with RWAs, GP colleges, state and territory health departments, and rural generalist coordinating units
This project commenced in November 2024 and was completed in June 2025.
