Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice (PGDipGP)

Overview

The discipline of general practice involves comprehensive, continuing, community-based medical care of individuals and families for a defined practice population. There is an emphasis on prevention of disease and the earliest possible identification and intervention. The diploma provides an opportunity to address these issues, while still leaving wide choice of subject content, for example including travel and migrant medicine, rural hospital practice, sexual health, and palliative care.

The Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice (PGDipGP) is now a prerequisite for proceeding to the Master of General Practice (MGP) degree. The Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice can be based in any of the three Schools of Medicine and can include papers offered by any of the Schools.

Graduates of the programme will have undertaken an approved programme that is specifically focused towards the varied needs of the general medical practitioner who wishes to take the opportunity of higher educational achievement. It can be tailored to meet the educational needs of the individual, and the qualification can have either an emphasis on understanding of the traditional philosophical basis of general practice, on facets of teaching and learning, on research, on clinical subjects, or on any combination of these.

Students will gain a sound understanding of the nature and practice of general practice, advanced clinical training in personally selected areas of practice, and experience in working with other doctors involved in the discipline. If adequate grades are achieved, students will be eligible to advance to the Master of General Practice programme

Regulations for the Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice (PGDipGP)

1. Admission to the Programme

   1. Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) on the advice of the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School, which must be satisfied that the applicant has the ability and experience to proceed to the programme.
   2. Every applicant shall
      1. have been admitted to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery of a university in New Zealand or hold an equivalent medical qualification approved by the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School, and
      2. have commenced or completed formal vocational training for general practice.
   3. Every applicant shall be registered for medical practice in either Australia or new Zealand or have an exemption from this requirement from the Board of Studies in Primary Health Care.

2. Structure of the Programme

   1. The programme of study shall consist of approved papers from the schedule worth a total of 120 points, including either or both of the core papers, PRHC 701 and GENA 820.
   2. With the approval of the Board of Studies in Primary Health Care, one or more appropriate papers taught by a university at an equivalent level may be substituted for those in the schedule, to a maximum value of 30 points.
   3. A candidate who has completed the requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in General Practice, or the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Health Care, or the Postgraduate Certificate in Travel Medicine shall be exempted from those papers in the programme for the diploma which have been previously passed for the certificate. No such paper may be used for an exemption in any other programme.

      Note: Students should normally enrol initially for a Postgraduate Certificate programme before proceeding to the diploma.

   4. With the approval of the Board of Studies in Primary Health Care, a candidate may be exempt from up to 15 points for work previously satisfactorily completed for a relevant course of study.

3. Duration of the Programme

   The duration of the programme shall be one year of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study. The programme must be completed within five years of admission.

4. Level of Award of the Diploma

   The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit.