General practitioners (GPs) provide medical care for patients in the community. They diagnose and treat illness, disease and infection. They see patients in their surgery or visit them at home. Once they have examined the patient, they assess the situation and decide on appropriate action which can include:

• making a diagnosis
• giving general advice
• prescribing medicine 
• recommending treatment
• conducting minor surgery 
• referring the patient to a specialist consultant for tests and further diagnosis.

GPs are responsible for running the practice, and in England this includes commissioning health care from other health professionals. GPs often work in a team including practice nurses, health visitors, midwives, counsellors and administrative support staff. 

GPs' duties also include administrative tasks such as writing letters and reports, and maintaining patient records. Most patient records are now computerised. Some GPs are beginning to use video links for patient diagnosis, especially in rural practices.

Many GPs organise preventative medical programmes and health education for various patient groups such as flu vaccinations for the elderly, and special clinics for pregnant women, mothers and babies or patients with particular conditions.

Some GPs develop skills in specialist areas such as mental health, dermatology, diabetes, substance misuse or sexual health. Certain areas demand formal training and qualifications, whilst others require experience-based evidence.

Hours and Environment

Full-time work for GPs can be up to 52 hours a week. This can include evening and weekend work. As a GP you may also be expected to work an out of hour's emergency on-call rota, however, the use of deputising services is becoming more widespread.

Generally, working conditions in GP surgeries are clean, comfortable, and modern. You may spend some time making home visits and in rural practices you may have to travel long distances therefore a driving licence is likely to be essential.

Skills and Interests

To be a GP you should:

• have an interest and ability in science
• be prepared to continually update your knowledge and learn new techniques
• have an interest in and concern for the well-being of patients
• have excellent communication skills
• have compassion, integrity and a sense of responsibility
• be able to put people at their ease and inspire their trust and confidence
• have the practical ability and manual dexterity for examining patients and performing clinical procedures
• work well in and be able to lead a team
• be able to work under pressure and make quick clear decisions
• work consistently to high professional standards
• be able to train, teach and supervise staff.

Entry

To become a general practitioner, you need to complete:

• a degree in medicine, recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC)
• a two year foundation programme of general training (see Training section for details)
• a vocational training programme in general practice (see Training).

The GMC hold details of recognised degree courses, see Further Information for details.

The entry requirements for a five-year degree in medicine usually include three A levels at grades AAB in subjects such as chemistry, biology and either physics or maths. If you have qualifications from Scotland you need H grades and Advanced Highers in subjects such as chemistry and biology. The subjects and grades you achieved at GCSE/S level will also be taken into account.

If you do not have qualifications in science, there is a six-year degree course in medicine that includes a one-year pre-medical (or foundation) course.

If you are a graduate with a first or upper second class honours degree in a science subject, you may be able to join a four-year graduate entry programme to medicine. Some universities will accept non-science graduates. The British Medical Association (BMA) website has details of course providers, see Further Information for contact details.

You may also be asked to take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), which is used by 23 UK universities to identify students with the appropriate attitude, behavioural attributes and mental abilities for a degree in medicine. The university you wish to join will tell you if you need to take the test. For more details and to register for the test, go to the UKCAT website.

Before you apply for a course you can gain insight into this field by doing some relevant paid or voluntary work, for example working as a care assistant in a hospital, residential or nursing home. Some hospitals allow potential medical students to observe a qualified doctor at work. You can contact local hospitals directly to discuss these possibilities.

Training

As a medical student you are exposed to many of the specialties within medicine. You will learn basic medical science, communication skills and practical clinical techniques. You will work, under supervision, in a range of areas including general practice, accident and emergency, and outpatient clinics.

When you have achieved your degree in medicine, you need to complete two further stages of training to become a GP:

• a two-year foundation programme. This can include placements in acute care settings, mental health and general practice. Successful completion of year one (known as F1) leads to full registration with the GMC. During year two of the programme (F2) you will experience a range of specialist areas. At the end of F2 you make your career choice to pursue training in general practice. 
  
• general practitioner vocational training programme, this will take at least three years. During this period you will spend at least 12 months as a GP registrar in the NHS. You may also work in areas such as paediatrics, psychiatry, geriatrics and general medicine.

As a trainee you will be assessed in the workplace. At the end of the programme your skills will be evaluated and if you meet the required standard, you will be awarded the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). The CCT is awarded when you have met all the specified competencies in the required way. This means you will be eligible to join the GMC GP Register and practise independently as a doctor. This new way of training is part of the NHS Modernising Medical Careers review.

As a GP you can sit formal examinations leading to membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). It is common for trainee GPs to take these exams during the GP Registrar year. Having membership of the Royal College is not a mandatory requirement to becoming a GP. Check the RCGP website for further details on all aspects of training.

All GPs are expected to maintain and develop their skills throughout their career. As a GP you must have a Professional Development Plan, and go through an annual appraisal in which you will produce evidence of ongoing education and learning.

Opportunities

There are over 40,000 GPs in the UK working under contract for the NHS. Over 80 per cent of these doctors work as principals in GP practices. The armed forces employ a small number of GPs.

There is currently a shortage of GPs, especially in the more deprived urban areas of the country. The government is offering a range of financial incentives for GPs to work in these areas, including 'golden hello' packages, and various recruitment, retention and return-to-practise schemes.

As a GP you can take on work outside the practice, this can include hospital sessions, and occupational health duties in the workplace or educational institutions. You may also find opportunities for advisory work, for example with pharmaceutical companies, occupational health services, the Benefits Agency, the police and prison service.

There are some opportunities to work in postgraduate GP education.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Junior doctors, on the foundation programme, can earn between £21,000 and £26,000 a year.
Doctors in vocational general practitioner training can earn up to £44,000.
Doctors in training will receive extra payments depending on the hours worked, workload, and the amount of time spent working unsocial hours.

The income of a full-time GP can be around £76,000 a year.
Independent GPs can earn between £80,000 and £120,000 a year.

Further information

14 Princes Gate
Hyde Park
London
SW7 1PU
Tel: 0131 260 6823 (careers information) Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP
Tel: 020 7387 4499 Regent's Place
350 Euston Road
London
NW1 3JN
Tel: 0845 357 3456 Tel: 08000 150 850
Email: learning@nhscareers.nhs.uk