Three trainees known as GP Registrars, are now based in local practices undertaking post-graduate studies in the specialty of general practice.

Registrars Dr Com Perez and Dr Thusha Murugathasan will complete their studies at the Camden Haven Medical Centre in Laurieton, while Dr Rajkumar Rajalingam continues to develop his skills at the North Haven practice.

They are expected to complete three to four years of fulltime work and study, at least two years of which must be spent working in general practice within a teaching practice.

The registrars must also pass a series of three examinations issued by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Senior Medical Educator for North Coast GP Training Ltd in the Port Macquarie region Dr Debbie Kors explained that to become a teaching practice a surgery needed to pass an extensive accreditation process and prove an ongoing dedication to providing high quality medical care and teaching.

"The registrars bring knowledge of new treatments and procedures from their more recent times in hospitals and they ask us lots of questions so we need to make sure we know the answers," she said.

"It is not all hard work though as teaching does have it's rewards. GP registrars also help to keep all the doctors in the practice up to date."

Dr Perez and Dr Murugathasan said they chose to study in Laurieton because they had heard a lot of positive feedback about the program.