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GP Academy for IMGs: Fixing the "I Can’t Find That Topic Again" Problem

Last updated: November 2025

Buy Now

GP Academy for IMGs: Fixing the "I Can’t Find That Topic Again" Problem

Last updated: November 2025

Dr Shaun Tan, FRACGP, MD, BMSC
Medical Examiner | Associate Lecturer
Scored 90% on the AKT & Top 15th percentile in the KFP

This blog addresses a common frustration for international medical graduates, preparing for RACGP exams, specifically the challenge of locating previously studied topics. You will learn effective solutions from the GP Academy for IMGs approach, including organising notes by clinical topics, creating comprehensive disease pages, integrating practice questions, and consolidating Australian guidelines into a single, accessible resource.

Slide based vs topic based Organisation in RACGP Exam Preparation, for GP Academy for IMGs

Slide based studying involves reviewing lecture presentations in their original sequence, which often mixes different topics and makes it challenging to find specific information quickly. Recent RACGP exam reports underscore the need for efficient, structured revision, with the 2024.2 AKT reporting a pass rate of 82.15% from 829 candidates, highlighting the competitive standard candidates must meet [1]. The 2024.2 KFP showed an overall pass rate of 67.83% from 945 candidates, reinforcing the value of targeted, topic based study to lift accuracy under time pressure [2].

Topic based organisation provides a solution by grouping study notes according to clinical conditions or topics, for instance Type 2 Diabetes or antenatal care, creating clear, structured reference points. This method makes it easier to revise topics regularly and improve retention.

Here are the limitations of slide based study:

Information is scattered without logical indexing.
Passive learning methods reduce memory retention.
Difficulty finding key details increases anxiety.
Wasted revision time flipping through 20 to 30 slide decks rather than focused review.

In contrast, topic based organisation offers these benefits:

Provides structured and easily navigable summaries.
Encourages active learning and better retention.
Facilitates regular review using spaced repetition techniques.
Simplifies integration with practice questions and guidelines.

A RACGP exam report emphasis on common candidate errors supports the need for structured content and retrieval practice, particularly around indications and contraindications in prescribing and immunisation [3].

Building Comprehensive Disease Pages (Diabetes, AF, Antenatal, Child Health)

Comprehensive disease pages serve as your personal, high yield summaries, focused explicitly on conditions commonly encountered in general practice and tested in RACGP exams. Each disease page becomes a trusted, central reference point that consolidates critical facts, guidelines, and clinical pearls into one easy to access document. Standard Australian antenatal care includes ultrasound screening at 18 to 20 weeks for fetal development and anatomy, a timing you can anchor on your antenatal disease page for quick retrieval [4]. First trimester screening typically includes a 12 week ultrasound with nuchal translucency where appropriate, which should be clearly noted with your local pathway references [5].

A robust disease page typically includes:

Clear definitions and Australian epidemiology.
Diagnostic criteria and relevant investigations.
Management guidelines based on Australian Therapeutic Guidelines and RACGP sources.
PBS listed medications and prescribing information.
Red flag signs, referral pathways, and patient counselling points.
Direct links to related practice questions for active recall.
Date last reviewed to ensure currency.

Disease pages offer clear advantages:

Easy revision of critical details before exams.
Comprehensive preparation aligned with RACGP standards.
Time efficient updates with current recommendations.

Why IMGs Prefer One Place for All Australian Guidelines

IMGs preparing for RACGP exams frequently face confusion when navigating multiple Australian guidelines from sources like the RACGP Red Book, Therapeutic Guidelines, PBS criteria, and state maternity pathways. Accessing guidelines from scattered sources creates unnecessary cognitive load and reduces study efficiency. RACGP reports repeatedly note candidate errors such as “not considering indications and contraindications for immunisation and medication,” which centralised, up to date guideline access can mitigate [3].

Common challenges without consolidated guidelines include:

Wasting precious revision time searching for details.
Risk of referencing outdated or non Australian recommendations.
Anxiety and confusion due to inconsistent management advice.

A consolidated guideline resource provides IMGs with:

Immediate, reliable access to accurate, exam aligned guidelines.
Consistent reference material clearly linked to your notes.
Reduced revision time and increased confidence on exam day.

For antenatal content, anchor to current RACGP materials for routine care and to jurisdictional or college guidance for scan timing, for example 18 to 20 weeks fetal anatomy screening [4] and 12 week first trimester screening details where appropriate [5].

Frequently Asked Questions

1: How does GP Academy for IMGs specifically help me stop losing track of topics I have already studied?

GP Academy for IMGs promotes topic based notes, disease pages, and integrated practice questions so you always know where a fact lives and how it is tested. This mirrors Australian guideline structure and anchors your revision to authoritative sources like RACGP and Therapeutic Guidelines [2], [6].

2: Which Australian guidelines should I prioritise when building disease pages for diabetes, AF, antenatal care, and child health?

Prioritise RACGP guidance for preventive activities and primary care pathways, Therapeutic Guidelines for pharmacotherapy, PBS criteria for prescribing, and relevant college or state resources for domain specifics, for example antenatal schedules and paediatric pathways [2], [6]. Where pregnancy is involved, include first trimester and morphology scan timing based on current Australian recommendations [4], [5].

3: How many practice questions should I do after finishing a topic page, and how should I review them?

Aim for 5 to 10 targeted questions immediately after studying a topic, then schedule reviews at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month to strengthen recall. This aligns with evidence on spaced retrieval improving durable learning and with RACGP report themes that stress systematic practice and feedback loops [1], [3].

4: What common errors do RACGP exam reports highlight that I can avoid with a centralised guideline hub?

RACGP reports repeatedly cite errors around not considering indications and contraindications for immunisation and medication. A centralised hub mapped to your topic pages helps you cross check prescribing steps, vaccination advice, and safety considerations quickly and accurately [3].

5: How should I incorporate antenatal imaging timelines into my notes so they are exam ready and clinic ready?

Include a clear line on first trimester screening and a separate line on morphology ultrasound timing. In Australia, note a 12 week screening context where appropriate and an 18 to 20 week morphology scan, then link these to your local pathway documents for rapid retrieval in study and consultations [4], [5].

An Integrated Approach for GP Exam Success

Adopting an integrated approach, organising notes by clinical topics, linking them with relevant practice questions, and consolidating guidelines, solves the “I can’t find that topic again” dilemma. This structured preparation method ensures that your revision is efficient, lower stress, and aligned with RACGP standards. Exam outcomes, including AKT and KFP pass rates, remind us that methodical preparation and guideline fluency are decisive, for example 82.15% AKT pass rate and 67.83% KFP pass rate in 2024.2 [1], [2].

Importantly, these habits do more than improve exam performance. They build clinical confidence and care quality in daily practice as a GP.

Linking Topics to Practice Questions

Integrating practice questions with your topic pages enhances retention through active retrieval, also known as the testing effect. RACGP public exam reports highlight that candidates who systematically practise, review rationales, and target weak areas perform more consistently across domains, a crucial strategy when AKT pass rates can vary considerably between cycles, for example 82.15% in 2024.2 [1]. Likewise, KFP outcomes, 67.83% overall in 2024.2, reflect the benefit of rehearsal under exam style constraints and structured feedback loops [2].

Benefits of linking your notes directly with practice questions include:

Enhanced long term retention through active recall.
Early identification of knowledge gaps and weak areas.
Increased confidence through familiarity with RACGP exam formats.
Reduced stress and anxiety leading up to exam day through realistic practice.

Practical tips to implement this approach include:

Immediately testing yourself with 5 to 10 relevant questions after studying a disease page.
Documenting correct answers and rationales directly into your notes.
Regularly revisiting questions using spaced repetition, after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month.

If RACGP exam preparation feels overwhelming, Fellow Academy provides high quality AKT and KFP practice questions, concise and comprehensive exam notes, and high yield, evidence based flashcards. You will also find free KFP case packs, informative webinars, and practical resources designed specifically for IMGs, guiding you confidently every step of the way.

You have already come a long way in your medical career, let Fellow Academy help you complete this final step with confidence.

Disclaimer: This content is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The strategies and approaches shared are based on personal experience and the experiences of other GP candidates who successfully passed their exams. They are intended as general study guidance only and should not be taken as official RACGP advice.

References

[1] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. Exam report 2024.2 AKT. East Melbourne, VIC, RACGP. See summary report in newsGP, “RACGP releases final AKT exam report of the year,” 27 Aug 2024. Retrieved from: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/racgp/racgp-releases-final-akt-exam-report-of-the-year

[2] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. Latest FRACGP exam report released, KFP 2024.2. newsGP, 17 Sept 2024. Overall KFP pass rate 67.83% from 945 candidates. Retrieved from: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/racgp/latest-fracgp-exam-report-released

[3] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. Exam report emphasis and common errors. See RACGP AKT 2024.2 public report and newsGP commentary on candidate performance. Retrieved from: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/racgp/racgp-releases-final-akt-exam-report-of-the-year

[4] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. Pregnancy, in Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice, Red Book. Retrieved from: https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/red-book/preventive-activities-in-older-age/pregnancy

[5] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2010. Screening in obstetrics. Australian Family Physician supplement. Retrieved from: https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2010/october/screening-in-obstetrics

[6] Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. 2023. Therapeutic Guidelines, eTG complete. Melbourne, VIC, Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. Retrieved from: https://tgldcdp.tg.org.au/

[7] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. First antenatal visit, Red Book. Recommendation to commence antenatal care within the first 10 weeks where possible. Retrieved from: https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/red-book/preventive-activities-in-older-age/pregnancy

[8] Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. 2024. CCE report, 2024.1. newsGP, 26 July 2024. Pass rate 89% reported for the clinical exam cohort. Retrieved from: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/racgp/cce-report-2024-1

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Dr Shaun Tan, FRACGP, MD, BMSC
Medical Examiner | Associate Lecturer
Scored 90% on the AKT & Top 15th percentile in the KFP

Summary

This blog addresses a common frustration for international medical graduates, preparing for RACGP exams, specifically the challenge of locating previously studied topics. You will learn effective solutions from the GP Academy for IMGs approach, including organising notes by clinical topics, creating comprehensive disease pages, integrating practice questions, and consolidating Australian guidelines into a single, accessible resource.

Slide based vs topic based Organisation in RACGP Exam Preparation, for GP Academy for IMGs

Slide based studying involves reviewing lecture presentations in their original sequence, which often mixes different topics and makes it challenging to find specific information quickly. Recent RACGP exam reports underscore the need for efficient, structured revision, with the 2024.2 AKT reporting a pass rate of 82.15% from 829 candidates, highlighting the competitive standard candidates must meet [1]. The 2024.2 KFP showed an overall pass rate of 67.83% from 945 candidates, reinforcing the value of targeted, topic based study to lift accuracy under time pressure [2].

Topic based organisation provides a solution by grouping study notes according to clinical conditions or topics, for instance Type 2 Diabetes or antenatal care, creating clear, structured reference points. This method makes it easier to revise topics regularly and improve retention.

Here are the limitations of slide based study:

Information is scattered without logical indexing.
Passive learning methods reduce memory retention.
Difficulty finding key details increases anxiety.
Wasted revision time flipping through 20 to 30 slide decks rather than focused review.

In contrast, topic based organisation offers these benefits:

Provides structured and easily navigable summaries.
Encourages active learning and better retention.
Facilitates regular review using spaced repetition techniques.
Simplifies integration with practice questions and guidelines.

A RACGP exam report emphasis on common candidate errors supports the need for structured content and retrieval practice, particularly around indications and contraindications in prescribing and immunisation [3].

Building Comprehensive Disease Pages (Diabetes, AF, Antenatal, Child Health)

Comprehensive disease pages serve as your personal, high yield summaries, focused explicitly on conditions commonly encountered in general practice and tested in RACGP exams. Each disease page becomes a trusted, central reference point that consolidates critical facts, guidelines, and clinical pearls into one easy to access document. Standard Australian antenatal care includes ultrasound screening at 18 to 20 weeks for fetal development and anatomy, a timing you can anchor on your antenatal disease page for quick retrieval [4]. First trimester screening typically includes a 12 week ultrasound with nuchal translucency where appropriate, which should be clearly noted with your local pathway references [5].

A robust disease page typically includes:

Clear definitions and Australian epidemiology.
Diagnostic criteria and relevant investigations.
Management guidelines based on Australian Therapeutic Guidelines and RACGP sources.
PBS listed medications and prescribing information.
Red flag signs, referral pathways, and patient counselling points.
Direct links to related practice questions for active recall.
Date last reviewed to ensure currency.

Disease pages offer clear advantages:

Easy revision of critical details before exams.
Comprehensive preparation aligned with RACGP standards.
Time efficient updates with current recommendations.

Why IMGs Prefer One Place for All Australian Guidelines

IMGs preparing for RACGP exams frequently face confusion when navigating multiple Australian guidelines from sources like the RACGP Red Book, Therapeutic Guidelines, PBS criteria, and state maternity pathways. Accessing guidelines from scattered sources creates unnecessary cognitive load and reduces study efficiency. RACGP reports repeatedly note candidate errors such as “not considering indications and contraindications for immunisation and medication,” which centralised, up to date guideline access can mitigate [3].

Common challenges without consolidated guidelines include:

Wasting precious revision time searching for details.
Risk of referencing outdated or non Australian recommendations.
Anxiety and confusion due to inconsistent management advice.

A consolidated guideline resource provides IMGs with:

Immediate, reliable access to accurate, exam aligned guidelines.
Consistent reference material clearly linked to your notes.
Reduced revision time and increased confidence on exam day.

For antenatal content, anchor to current RACGP materials for routine care and to jurisdictional or college guidance for scan timing, for example 18 to 20 weeks fetal anatomy screening [4] and 12 week first trimester screening details where appropriate [5].

Tools That Make Active Recall Easy

Digital tools simplify the process of integrating active recall and spaced repetition into your RACGP exam preparation.

Brainscape: Uses adaptive algorithms to determine when you should review each flashcard based on your confidence level.
Anki: Allows custom deck creation for topics like PBS rules or emergency management.
Quizlet: Offers collaborative decks for study groups.

Using these tools allows you to:

Review flashcards during commutes or between patients.
Automatically revisit topics you’re struggling with.
Track progress and identify weak areas.

These platforms bring structure to your study plan, ensuring regular reinforcement and better recall.

(For time management strategies, see our AKT Study Planner.)

How to Combine These Methods for Peak Performance

When you combine active recall with spaced repetition, the results are exponential. This combination, known as “spaced retrieval practice”, creates a continuous cycle of learning, forgetting, and relearning that strengthens memory.

Start early (at least 6–12 months before your exam).
Create flashcards for each guideline or high-yield topic.
Use Brainscape or Anki daily to review material in spaced cycles.
Schedule mock exams every 3–4 weeks to test your applied knowledge.

Research indicates spaced repetition can significantly increase long-term retention, with spaced learners achieving approximately 58% accuracy compared to 43% among traditional learners (p<0.001) [4].

By six months into this method, most candidates report not only improved recall but also better confidence under pressure. You’re no longer scrambling to remember—you’re retrieving information automatically.