Surviving the FRACGP and staying sane

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Fellowship (FRACGP) examination remains the sole point of entry to Fellowship of the RACGP for registrars in the Australian General Practice Training Program. It is also used by 'practice eligible route' candidates. It may have been some time since candidates studied for any exam, and the prospect is often daunting. Like ally examination, the FRACGP has its own attendant myths and legends on what you must do to pass.

This article recounts the study habits of a group of three general practice registrars who sat the FRACGP examination at the end of 2003. It attempts to give a light hearted account of their study techniques in the hope of dispelling some of the fear and mystery surrounding the exam.

Despite the seemingly casual approach described below, all the authors passed without suffering grievous psychological injury, and most of their patients seem to have survived as well.