In Australia the term “general practice” is used to describe the medical specialty that provides primary continuing comprehensive whole-patient medical care to individuals, families and their communities.   However, when general practitioners care for patients in certain contexts - typically within rural and remote areas - there are a clear set of additional skills, competencies and professional values that are required in order to provide safe and appropriate care.  The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) refers to this unique scope and nature of general practice as “Rural and Remote Medicine”. 

Rural and Remote Medicine is typically delivered through private community based practice facilities and hospitals, however, it can also occur on roadsides, in remote clinics, jails, Aboriginal medical services or via telephone or e-health systems. It is one of the hallmarks of a rural and remote practitioner that they have highly developed clinical judgment and extended skill sets which allow them to safely care for patients in a variety of ways that would not be typical of general practitioners in more urban settings.  This includes providing certain specialised areas of care such as surgery or obstetrics, and admitting and caring for adults and children in hospital (secondary) care settings.

The clinical scope, practices and values that characterise Rural and Remote Medicine within the medical specialty of general practice are outlined in the curricula and professional standards that are set and maintained by ACRRM.

General practitioners who achieve these standards are recognised through the award of Fellowship of ACRRM.  Fellows of ACRRM receive full vocational recognition and are able to practise in any location throughout Australia.

For more information on Rural and Remote Medicine in the context of international literature please download the College position paper.

The Specialty of General Practice