Hey guys, I wrote an article for the GPSN (General Practice Student Network) newsletter. Have a read, it may sway you towards/deter you from General Practice.
"Do you have what it takes?"
As a general practitioner, you see all age groups from newborn to elderly. You will see people with any illness, disease, or problem.’ (Anonymous)
The above statement really depicts what GPs do on a daily basis. They are the front line of our medical system. They have to be well-equipped to deal with whatever comes through their consultation door. This is important to take note of, because patients visiting their GP, present with their own unique set of signs and symptoms and often do not have a referral letter that details their medical history.
The breadth of knowledge that GPs require during their day to day consultations is astounding. From acute to chronic, GPs are involved with the prevention, diagnosis and management of a great variety of medical conditions. Although referral to other specialists may be sought, the majority of cases are handled by GPs. When specialist care is organized, it is the GP who integrates the opinions of multiple specialists, and develops an appropriate management plan for the patient. It is also the GPs role to assist in monitoring the patient during their course of treatment and beyond, and to initiate any further actions when necessary.
It’s no wonder why GPs are the busiest individuals of the medical profession. Without them, our health system would surely collapse. This is what makes General Practice, an exciting and adventurous career option, but at the same time, a challenging and intellectually stimulating one too. It involves hard work, excellent time-management, aptitude, intelligence and interpersonal skills… the complete package really.
Apart from a stimulating and challenging career, General Practice provides a range of different options to suit individuals that are interested in taking this vocational pathway. Training programs have been designed to ensure that trainees can develop into competent unsupervised GPs, in an urban or rural setting, or both, which several current registrars have decided to do. General Practice offers a great deal of flexibility with work hours and allows individuals to combine work, family and lifestyle to make it a rewarding career. The two GP colleges, RACGP and ACCRM also offer trainees with the chance to ‘up-skill’ in a variety of advanced training programs such as anesthetics, obstetrics, surgery, paediatrics and emergency medicine, provided you practice at a rural post. You end up with your fellowship along with a graduate diploma of your chosen special interest. This permits you to be a GP that can perform the advanced skills that you have been trained in, such as performing a Caesarian.
So it really comes down to this, do you feel like you are capable of the skills required in General Practice? If you are, does the following list excite you about your future medical career?
Being a diagnostician
Staying away from hospital bureaucracy
Being part of the frontline of the Australian medical system
Having the flexibility to combine work, family and lifestyle
Involved in the process of continuity of care
If you answer ‘Yes’ to both, I highly suggest you consider General Practice!
P.S. While writing this article, I gained inspiration from reading the GP profiles on MMC :)
A great read - thank you!