The president takes a mainly ceremonial function while the chair sets the college's policy direction, and leads the RCGP decision making body – the council.

In 2012 the establishment of a new trustee board meant that members of the council were relieved of having to act in a statutory capacity relating to the college's charity status.

While the MRCGP was originally an optional qualification, it has more recently become mandatory for newly qualifying GPs and is directly linked to the GP Curriculum[10] which the RCGP published in 2007 and regularly updates as necessary.

In 2007 a new system of assessment was introduced, delivered locally in conjunction with deaneries, with the qualification awarded on completion of a three-year specialty training programme.

It enables established GPs, who cannot take the college's MRCGP exam, to gain membership through submission of a portfolio of evidence and potentially an oral examination.

In 2013 the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin launched a legal challenge to the regulator, the General Medical Council, and the college alleging that the clinical skills assessment component of the Membership exam was discriminatory and seeking a judicial review of the way the RCGP conducted the test, because there is a "significant difference in pass rates which cannot be explained by a lack of any knowledge, skill or competency on the part of the International Medical Graduates.

Mr Justice John Mitting presiding over the case said that the Royal College of General Practitioners was neither racially discriminatory nor in breach of its public sector equality duty.

[citation needed] Subsequently, the college, BAPIO announced that they would be working in close collaboration to address supporting international medical graduates and Black and Minority Ethnic doctors in relation to training and passing the MRCGP.

[14] The RCGP runs a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Credits scheme that offers GPs a flexible learning framework in which to produce a portfolio of work that supports the Revalidation process.

Key elements of the college's work in this field include developing a quality assured appraisal system and an ePortfolio that logs evidence of GPs' learning.

Exhibits include a variety of personal papers, historic books, college institutional records, and a museum collection of medical instruments dating back to the 17th century.

[citation needed] Co-founders of the college include Fraser Rose, John Hunt and George Abercrombie and others who joined the steering committee in 1951.

[19] The college began in November 1952 in response to growing physical, administrative and financial pressures that demoralised GPs and undermined standards of patient care.

The elements represent historical context and themes relevant to general medical practice: From 1962 the headquarters of the college were at 14 Princes Gate, Kensington, London.

[25] The RCGP has been criticised for its support of the fossil fuel industry by hosting the 2020 Oil and Gas UK Exploration Conference at its London headquarters.