GP promo vid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YaTKDAMXs&feature=youtu.be

This is the new RCGP video to advertise general practice as a career. What do you think?

Reply 1

Medicine Man

I actually recognise someone in that video...I know them quite well.
:ninja:

I think its a good idea to have a video like this out - at this point in my life, I don't think I'll love a career in GP but I won't bash it/rule it out just yet. I don't think I could confidently say I'll never become one.

Reply 2

Fission_Mailed

It's obviously a huge problem that needs addressing, but I can't help seeing this marketing strategy as more than a bit desperate. I don't think the problem with GP recruitment is due to medical students and junior doctors not knowing about the good aspects of the job. People have genuine concerns, and seeing a video that looks like it is aimed at med school applicants isn't going to make me want to become a GP trainee somewhere like Lincolnshire where the extra people need to go to prop up the service.

Reply 3

seaholme

...we can work on a cruise ship?? In a prison?! Wow sign me up! :rolleyes:

Some of those guys were on some kind of GP documentary on Channel 4 last year I think, I recognise Dr Ferdinand and Dr Savage.

It's cute having people say "we all love our job" in this video but at actual GP practices as a medical student none of them say that, they all say "it's going down the pan"/"the future looks bleak" and other more explicit phrases along those lines. I've never met anybody in actual real life who says the things they're saying in this video. "I truly believe this is the best time in a generation to become a GP" can't possibly be correct. I mean the GP who does a home visit goes to a beautiful home with christmas lights and not a pit of smoke-y urine-y stinky hell which in my experience is at least 2/3rds of home visits. Home visits are important and have their own reward, but it's not all tea and cakes with Mrs Smith, the homes of very ill people are often not pleasant to visit at all. Not their fault necessarily, but true.

I'm not opposed to a career in GP, I think they raised some valid points like freedom to live wherever you choose and practice how you like, but it's not exactly a persuasive video, it's just a video by an organisation desperate to persuade people a vaguely maligned job is great, with loads of people saying it's great. It's not full of facts to convert people. You can talk about patient contact as long as you want, but that's hardly unique to GP. I dunno, I agree with Fission_Mailed, it does feel a bit desperate. My mind is only going to be swayed by some cold hard facts, not just shiny happy people holding hands.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

carcinoma

This is the thing about videos like these, they are well meaning and highlight only the positive aspects of the job.

However, I have two main issues with them,

1. If they are actually changing someone's mind about a speciality, I think it is more worrying how easily swayed the person choosing the speciality is. You should never make life discussions on the basis of a 3 min promo video.

I mean I'm considering a career in anaesthetics, but a 2 min promo video isn't going to immediately sell it to me. It will always be the worst aspect of the speciality that will sell it to me. If you can handle/enjoy the ****est part of the speciality then you have found the one.

2. They preach to the converted. For people already deciding they are going for GP, this video may help affirm their choice.

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Reply 5

nexttime

As with all other marketing campaigns ever, I'm disappointed that its so light in information. How family friendly is it? Lets have some examples. The best time to become a GP is now? Some evidence please, as as far as I can see all plans for the service are up in the air at the moment, who knows what's coming - pretty sure they don't.

But I guess that's advertising for you - actual information is way down the priority list. Smiling people and music are what will make the difference.

Reply 6

AnonymousPenguin

Original post by nexttime

Smiling people and music are what will make the difference.

I doubt this will make a shred of difference.

Reply 7

username1236842

I think "the best time to be a GP is now" refers to the ease of getting GP jobs at the moment. This is completely different to the 1990s when I was first looking for a partnership when there were umpteen applicants for every job and you often didn't even get an interview and practices often had you working for less money for the first 3 years working your way up to parity because that was how it had been done for years and if you weren't willing to accept those T&Cs someone else would.
Yes the politicians like to play with the health service and will continue to do so, but general practice will survive in some form or other for the foreseeable future.
If you choose your practice with care it can be an enjoyable career. We get on well together, for instance it was our senior partner's 60th last week and we got her a life-sized cardboard Jose Mourinho. She got a shock to find him in her consulting room when she opened the door and he then got sat down for our practice meeting (the receptionists had fun moving him about the place during the day). We had rolls, pies, cakes and decent coffee (we always have decent coffee a big plus of working in general practice). As we're self employed we can structure our day as we like and if you're part time you can do other stuff like speciality doctor posts/ be an appraiser/ work for the adoption agency/ assess benefits claimants if you're really masochistic/ work as a police surgeon etc. I agree that the visits are more often to poor people and care homes than in this video but it can be a good job.

Reply 8

Sarky

I too think they needed to go a bit deeper with the video. I've only ever considered GP for the lifestyle benefits but really and truly I knew that it is a tough job to do well. I would have liked to see an honest clip discussing the challenges and how they're addressing it rather than a veiled "we're up **** creek so please come and be a GP."

Reply 9

Mrs House

If anything, it's made me not want to do GP.....I never considered it anyways and I currently find GP placements boring :/

A video of only 3 minute long is pathetic, they should do a documentary instead- show the ins and out, pros and cons and how the cons can be dealt with with ease

Reply 10

navarre

I quite like the vid. It's not gonna change any minds, but it's good to see GPs enjoying their jobs. Every GP I've ever spoken to has enjoyed their job. Times are getting tougher, and with 10 min appointment times, it can be huge pressure, but I'm going to consider general practice. I certainly think I'll save and help more lives than pretty much every other speciality out there, and the variety the medical science you're using is appealing.