If you are considering a career as a GP you should absolutely go for it. Contrary to the ‘boring’ reputation that General Practitioners have earned, the real truth is you’ll probably never have a dull day as a GP. Here are a few compelling reasons why you are sure to love it as your chosen career path:

No two days are the same

One of the more interesting aspects of being a GP is the sheer diversity of patients and medical presentations you will deal with on a single day. Unlike a dentist or an ophthalmologist who only deal with one specific part of the body, as a GP, there is an undeniable thrill to not knowing what you are going to be dealing with next.

You are often the first point of contact

As the first point of contact for patients who are ill but are not sure what is wrong, you are responsible for diagnosing the medical presentation. While this can be challenging and immensely rewarding as you put to use everything you learnt at medical school.

You get to see patients in good times and bad

The beauty of being a GP is that you don’t only see patients who are will. You will have the pleasure of meeting many healthy patients who come to you during positive times such as pregnancy and preventive health issues.

There are several different sub-specialties that you can choose from

Being qualified and skilled in multiple streams makes it easier for you to choose from among several diverse sub-specialities, from paediatrics to emergency medicine. 

You will find yourself becoming part of several families

It’s rarely that just one person from a family will come to see you. More often than not, the whole family would prefer to go to one ‘family doctor’ and you will find yourself building a lot of long-term relationships as you treat patients, their families and the next generation too. 

You can tailor your workload to suit you

As a GP in private practice, you have lots of options available to choose from, whether it is where to work or how many hours a day you want to work. Not being tied down to a fixed schedule gives you plenty of opportunities to spend time with your family or pursue other hobbies.   

Being a GP is your ticket to travel

If you love medicine and you also love travelling, choosing the GP career path is the absolute perfect choice. As a doctor on a cruise ship or with an international airline, you will have the opportunity to travel the world. For a complete change of pace but without leaving the shores of Australia, you could join the Royal Flying Doctors and fly around Australia treating different medical emergencies. A career in general practice is truly your ticket to travel.

The salary is nothing to scoff at

GPs are well renumerated without the long working hours of other specialties, which means you get the best of both worlds.