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Medical student numbers in Australia have increased significantly in recent years. A resulting increase in medical graduates is inevitable and desirable. Western Australian medical graduates will double by 2012 and treble shortly afterward. Insufficient training positions in hospitals will likely require additional training opportunities to be provided by general practices. This article reviews innovative general practice training schemes for new medical graduates in Australia and overseas. It examines whether Australian general practice can play a role in training the rising numbers of new doctors.

Heartwatch is a national program in Irish general practice for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The program--a joint initiative of the Irish Department of Health and Children, the Irish College of General Practitioners, and the Irish Heart Foundation--has a number of key components, many of which may be suitable for adapting to Australian primary care.