Any patient—with any condition—can walk into a GP’s practice. A GP must be able to diagnose the patient, no matter which part of the body, and determine the best course of action—whether treatment can wait or whether they need to act immediately.

GPs may encounter the ‘usual’ conditions or patients—but this is the same for all specialties. However, unlike other specialties, the presentation of the ‘usual’ gives a GP the opportunity to nurture an ongoing relationship with the patient and discuss overall and preventative healthcare.

“In general practice, you are not just seeing someone to treat them for a disease in the moment, it is all about the person—the story behind the condition—and about investing in their long-term health.” — Dr Bree Wright, WA

In addition to the years spent studying in university and training in the hospital, GPs specialise by doing an additional three or four years of specialist training.

A GPs knowledge and skills specialise across all parts of the body. GPs are often the first health professional a patient may see on their healthcare journey and so, a GP must identify the patient’s condition and know how best to treat the patient.

Additionally, the final 6 to 12 months of GP training involves advanced or extended skills training. These skills often align with the clinical interests of the GP and can involve training in anything from obstetrics and gynaecology, to oncology, to Aboriginal health, to cosmetic medicine, and much more.

GPs get to practise plenty of hands-on skills day-to-day.

According to surveys conducted with metro and rural GPs, common procedures in the general practice setting include:

• application of wound and burn dressings
• suturing
• obstetrics and gynaecological procedures
• ear, nose and throat procedures
• injections (intradermal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, etc)
• application and removal of casts
• reduction of dislocated joints
• urethral catheterisation
• cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• cannulation and venepuncture
• administration of local anaesthetic
• removal of foreign body (from the eye, subcutaneous, external auditory canal, nose etc)
• spirometry.

In particular, GPs in rural and remote areas will be required to hold and use a wide set of practical skills, particularly as they may be the only medical professional in an area where the nearest hospital is an hour or more away.

For example, a rural GP can undertake emergency skills training to have the training to respond to emergency situations where they may be the first and only health professional at the scene.

Through advanced specialised training and extended skills training, which is a mandatory part of GP training, GP registrars advance and learn skills in an area of clinical interest. They will then have the skills to see patients presenting with conditions and concerns which align with their extra skills and clinical interests.

“I do see lots of interesting things and I do manage emergencies occasionally and do suturing, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.” — Dr Winny Santa Maria, a metro GP in WA

While it is true that a GP registrar’s earnings may dip during GP training, this changes once they achieve fellowship.

Unlike doctors within the hospital system bound by rigid employment awards, GPs are, in most contexts, considered independent contractors and have more freedom and flexibility to negotiate their employment.

GPs can maximise their income by taking control of their employment choices. They can negotiate a higher percentage of billings per patient. They can control how many patients they see in an hour, extend their clinical sessions per week, spend additional hours on-call, take up Government incentives to work in rural or remote areas, or do procedural work.

Income can be further maximised by adjusting the percentage of privately and bulk-billed patients, or a GP can own their own practice.

Locum GP work can be a very financially attractive option, especially in rural and remote areas where GPs are paid government subsidies and given financial assistance to help them relocate. GPs may also want to further maximise their income by working for an after-hours GP service.

Benefits beyond the financial are an attractive component of a GP’s employment. GPs have greater control over their working hours or they can work part-time, plus, GPs are known to have greater flexibly over taking annual or sick leave.

The best things about general practice is that the choice is yours, and you are in control.

GPs are usually the first medical professional that many patients visit. A GP must diagnose the patient, no matter which part of the body is affected, which means having a huge breadth of knowledge.

In many hospital settings, a doctor usually has a backup of specialists and consultants to call upon and can get pathology results within half an hour of blood being drawn.

A GP is in a room by themselves with a patient and they have to make the decision. They have to be confident to manage whatever walks through their door, and to make the call on whether the patient can wait or whether they need to act immediately.

“One day I was an obstetrician, delivering a patient’s baby, the next day I was a paediatrician, treating her sick toddler, the next day I was her general physician, looking after her elderly mother.” — read the story of Dr David Lam, SA