How this fits in

In Australia, GPs prescribe antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) well in excess of validated benchmarks. Australian early-career GPs (specialist GP vocational trainees, also known as GP registrars [13% of the GP workforce]) use no prescribing of antibiotics for ARTIs substantially more often than established Australian and European GPs, but still prescribe in excess of benchmarks, except for upper respiratory tract infections. They appear to use delayed prescribing of antibiotics to manage diagnostic uncertainty and, perhaps also, conflicting influences on antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs. Delayed prescribing may facilitate the transition to a culture of more-rational antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs in Australia.