Rural Locum Education Assistance Program
The Rural Locum Education Assistance Program (Rural LEAP) was introduced as a result of the 2009-10 Rural Health Workforce Strategy. Rural LEAP provides financial assistance to urban general practitioners (GPs) who undertake emergency medicine training and commit to a four week (20 working days) general practice locum placement in a rural locality within a two year period.
To be eligible for payment applicants need to be:
- a GP
- currently practicing in an urban locality.
The Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) is the classification system used to define eligible areas. Urban localities are classified as ASGC-RA 1 and localities eligible for locum placements are ASGC-RA 2-5. Go to the ASGC-RA2-5 locator
for more information.
GPs must apply to either the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Due to the limited number of places in the program, both colleges will assess applications based on when an application is received. Registration and claim forms are available from the ACRRM and RACGP websites.
Medicare maintains a register of eligible GPs and makes payments to GPs on completion of eligible training. Medicare also tracks the two-year period for participants to undertake their locum requirement.
This is a one off incentive with participants only able to access and obtain financial assistance to undertake emergency medicine training up to a total of $6000.
For more information
Online Rural Locum Education Assistance Program—Rural and Regional Health Australia website
Call 1800 010 550*.
*Call charges apply from mobile and pay phones only.
Rural Procedural Grants Program bank details form [PDF, 110Kb]
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Last updated: 27 February, 2013