What does a General Practitioner do?
General Practitioners work in their own practice or for another medical practice. They care for patients of all ages and focus on their patients’ physical, psychological and social health needs. A General Practitioner diagnoses and treats a range of medical conditions. They refer patients to Physicians, other healthcare professionals or facilities for specialist or urgent treatment.
General Practitioners have flexible work schedules. They have irregular work hours as they typically work by appointment or on-call. It’s also common for them to work more than 60 hours per week.
General Practitioner skills and qualifications
General Practitioners should have excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with patients and other healthcare professionals daily. A successful General Practitioner candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:
- Counselling skills and the ability to listen actively to patients in a non-judgemental manner
- The ability to deal with criticism and work well under severe pressure
- Strong attention to detail
- Patience and a calm demeanour in stressful situations
- Familiarity with computers and commonly used software packages
- Excellent bedside manner and time management skills
- Willingness to continue learning throughout their career
General Practitioner experience requirements
Entry-level positions require the appropriate qualifications and a licence to practise as a General Practitioner. More senior positions require candidates to have three to five years of experience. Candidates typically complete their required work experience in a hospital, General Practitioner’s practise or care homes.
General Practitioner education and training requirements
Candidates must have completed a five-year degree in medicine that is recognised by the General Medical Council. Candidates’ CVs also need to reflect a two-year foundation course in general training and a three-year course in general practice. Candidates must also be members of the General Medical Council GP Register and have licences to practise as General Practitioners. It may also be advantageous to choose candidates who are members of the British Medical Association for continued professional development and training opportunities.
General Practitioner salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a General Practitioner is £51.82 per hour. The salary level for a General Practitioner depends on the hospital or healthcare facility, its location and the years of experience required.
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