Doctors in Training regional opportunities

There are many opportunities for Doctors in Training within the WA Country Health Service (WACHS). Employment is available for interns, residents and registrars in a range of positions depending on the site. The positions may be through direct employment or secondment according to location.

Learn more about the regions where junior doctor placements are available:

For more detailed information, contact the Medical Education Unit (MEU) team on meu@health.wa.gov.au or call (08) 6391 0640.

Applied Surgical Pathway in Rural Environments (ASPIRE)

ASPIRE is a two-year program for WACHS junior doctors (PGY3 or above) who are interested in pursuing a career as a Rural General Surgeon.

Upon completion of the program candidates will be well placed to apply for the General Surgical Training Program with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS).

Click here to learn more about ASPIRE (PDF).

See the Application process for junior doctors for further information on how to apply for ASPIRE. Applications for the 2026 program open 24 March 2025 and close 14 April 2025.

Rural Adult Physician Training, Opportunities and Rotations (RAPTOR) One

Rural Adult Physician Training, Opportunities and Rotations (RAPTOR) One is a 12-month program for WACHS junior doctors (PGY2+) who are interested in physician training.

The program aims to provide the successful candidate with relevant term rotations and professional development to help prepare them to apply for Basic Physician Training with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP).

In 2026 RAPTOR One will be available at the following WACHS sites:

Albany Health Campus
Broome Health Campus
Bunbury Regional Hospital
Geraldton Health Campus
Kalgoorlie Health Campus

Click here to learn more about RAPTOR (PDF).

See the Application process for junior doctors for further information on how to apply for RAPTOR One. Applications for the 2026 program open 24 March 2025 and close 14 April 2025.

Basic Physician Training – Adult Internal Medicine with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Basic Physician Training (BPT) in Adult Internal Medicine (AIM) with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is the first step to becoming a specialist physician.

Early career doctors interested in becoming a rural physician are encouraged to apply for a Resident Medical Officer or Service Medical Registrar contract at an eligible WA Country Health Service site: Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Geraldton or Kalgoorlie.

Once you are successful in gaining employment, you may be eligible to apply for a BPT AIM Year 1 placement via the BPT application process. This involves submitting a written application and, if shortlisted, participating in a multiple mini-interviews (MMI) format.

In 2026 successful WACHS-employed doctors can access the WA Rural Physician Training Pathway (WA RPTP) which enables WACHS BPTs to remain and train at WACHS sites for up to 24 months on the Pathway.

If you are interested in becoming a rural physician and want to know more about 2026 BPT AIM processes and the WA Rural Physician Training Pathway, please contact the Physician Training team on (08) 6391 0647 or email WACHS.BPT@health.wa.gov.au.

Community Residency Program

Coordinated by WACHS, the rural Community Residency Program (CRP) is a highly regarded program for Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) to experience rural healthcare in WA. This program offers short-term, well-supervised training placements in diverse rural settings, with RMOs spending at least 20 per cent of their time in a community setting.

Where do I go?

In 2025, RMOs employed by Fiona Stanley Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital or Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital can undertake a term-long (10-11 week) CRP placement in various rural locations. Locations include (subject to change):

Goldfields: Esperance Health Campus and Kalgoorlie Health Campus.
Kimberley: Derby Hospital and Kununurra District Hospital
Midwest: Geraldton Health Campus
Pilbara: Karratha Health Campus
Wheatbelt: Narrogin Health Service

Detailed descriptions of each placement can be found here.

CRP eligibility criteria

Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) must meet the following criteria at the time of placement:

Hold general registration with the Medical Board of Australia.
Be employed full-time as an RMO by Fiona Stanley Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital or Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in 2025.
Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

For more information about the application process, visit Application process for junior doctors.

John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program (JFPDP) offers rural primary care rotations to eligible WACHS employed prevocational doctors.

Eligibility Criteria

To participate in the JFPDP, an applicant must be:

An Australian citizen or permanent resident; and
A WACHS-employed prevocational doctor in postgraduate year 1-5 at Albany Health Campus, Broome Health Campus, Bunbury Regional Hospital or Geraldton Health Campus.

Application process

There is no separate application process to participate in the JFPDP. Eligible prevocational doctors can preference a JFPDP rotation within the term preference form provided to them by their local WACHS Medical Education/Admin team.

Participating primary care organisations

The primary care organisations offering rural primary care rotations through the JFPDP are:

Collie River Valley Medical Centre
Health by Nurture
Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service
Panaceum Medical
Pioneer Health Albany
Royal Flying Doctor Servic
South West Aboriginal Medical Service.

Learn more about what JFPDP placements have to offer.

To find out more about the program, visit the JFPDP section on the RGPWA website or email ruralgeneralist@health.wa.gov.au.

Rural Generalist Pathway WA (RGPWA)

As part of the National Rural Generalist Pathway, the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) hosts the Rural Generalist Pathway WA (RGPWA) Coordination Unit to support the expansion of a dedicated training pathway for aspiring rural generalists in WA. The aim of the RGPWA is to facilitate the transition for rural generalist trainees through the various educational and training components, as well as provide post-fellowship support to rural generalists.

The RGPWA is flexible and can be joined at various points throughout a current or aspiring rural generalist’s training journey. If you are interested in training to be a rural generalist or are currently enrolled in training, you may be eligible to apply to join the pathway. The pathway offers an open intake with applications accepted throughout the year.

To find out more about the pathway, including the eligibility criteria and the application process, visit the RGPWA website or email ruralgeneralist@health.wa.gov.au.

You can also sign up to our Rural Generalist Pathway Interest Group to receive news and updates.

Last Updated: 05/02/2025

WACHS placement opportunities