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Half of medics are GP's

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Original post by rm_27
Hey all,

I was reading an article that stated half of those who graduate in Medicine then go off to become general practitioners. Despite the fact that they may enjoy it more than other sectors in the health care system, why else do you think this is the current case? One can argue there are much more job satisfying careers within Medicine, so why GP?


Just to add to the comments a lot of the wise, older medics ( :wink: ) have added above. People have different wishes and satisfaction criteria. There is no "this is the most satisfying job" in the world that applies universally :smile:
The popularity/competitiveness of GP is pretty cyclical, according to one of the approaching retirement GPs I've been attached to. He remembers several points throughout his career where getting into training and then a partnership has been ridiculously difficult, and others (including now) where a good chunk of the practices in the region can't even get a trainee.
GP is boring.
Reply 24
It is basically due to demand, we need vast numbers of gp's and therefore we push people to fill those vacancies.
It is also sociable, well paid, family friendly etc.
Essentially.gp's are the front line like the front of the army hence you need a lot of them. They're the cannon fodder of the NHS. You only send in the kings (eg a neurosurgeon etc) at the end of a battle.once all the other options are exhausted.
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Original post by bertstare
GP is boring.

Coming from a trainee dentist :rofl:
I suspect that in the future they will tailor medical school admissions more towards people wanting to do general practice. I suspect the growth of graduate entry medicine may have made general practice a less popular option with graduate entrants maybe wanting to do more academic specialities.
We need more GPs and A&E doctors, recruiting large numbers of wannabe brain surgeons makes no sense.
You use far more of your medical degree and training as a GP than in many other specialities so if many entrants have no interest in general practice I'd wonder about their interest in medicine as a whole.
Would anyone say GPs' jobs are less exciting than for instance specialist registrars in hospitals?
I did work experience recently in a hospital, shadowing a consultant, registrar, and junior doctors and it looked really busy, hectic but very interesting whereas in a GP you sit in a practice all day?
Original post by pancakes_98
Would anyone say GPs' jobs are less exciting than for instance specialist registrars in hospitals?
I did work experience recently in a hospital, shadowing a consultant, registrar, and junior doctors and it looked really busy, hectic but very interesting whereas in a GP you sit in a practice all day?


It's a different kind of interesting.

It's more people interesting rather than medicine interesting.
Original post by pancakes_98
whereas in a GP you sit in a practice all day?


Well no - home visits, morgue visits etc.
Original post by nexttime
Well no - home visits, morgue visits etc.


I always enjoyed the nursing/residential home visits. Always something hillarious going on.
Original post by shiggydiggy
I always enjoyed the nursing/residential home visits. Always something hillarious going on.


Last time I was in a nursing home I knelt in piss while doing a set of obs. That was not a good morning.
Original post by Fission_Mailed
Last time I was in a nursing home I knelt in piss while doing a set of obs. That was not a good morning.


Hahaha, ah man. That's priceless. You gotta laugh at these things.

I recall on one of my trips one of the old boys had a ?shoulder dislocation following a scuffle over the table tennis with one of the other residents. The other guy was literally smack talking the dude from the other side of the door while I was examining. Octogenarian smack talk is fantastic.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by shiggydiggy
Hahaha, ah man. That's priceless. You gotta laugh at these things.

I recall on one of my trips one of the old boys had a ?shoulder dislocation following a scuffle over the table tennis with one of the other residents. The other guy was literally smack talking the dude from the other side of the door while I was examining. Octogenarian smack talk is fantastic.


All I'm picturing is Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.


I went to lots of care homes while I was out with the ambulances earlier this year. Some of them were fantastic; I didn't realise that there were care homes set up like nice hotels (certainly nobody in my family has ever been put in one). Then 500 yards down the road you can find yourself in a pretty grim place.
Original post by shiggydiggy
I recall on one of my trips one of the old boys had a ?shoulder dislocation following a scuffle over the table tennis with one of the other residents. The other guy was literally smack talking the dude from the other side of the door while I was examining. Octogenarian smack talk is fantastic.

This sounds awesome.

All my GP-residential home visits were to dementia care establishments. Depressing as ****.
Original post by Kinkerz
This sounds awesome.

All my GP-residential home visits were to dementia care establishments. Depressing as ****.


Unbelievably so. If I ever get the slightest feeling that I'm becoming "demented", I'm booking a one way ticket to Switzerland.
Reply 36
Personally, working in a General Practice would not appeal to me... It just seems so bland compared to other working-environments if you become a doctor. I think half of the people do work as GPs because it is just a lot easier:
- more flexible work hours
- less stress
- able to have a family
Original post by Carpediemxx
No still 3

Source: i am CT1 anaesthetics who almost applied for GP



are they not upping it to 5 ? after fy1 and fy2 or is it changing later?
I would strongly disagree with less stress in general practice as there is more work than you can fit in the time available and the buck stops with you. I do a dermatology session as well and don't see how a morning in dermatology is more exciting than a morning in general practice. If you want life threatening stuff daily then a busy A&E dept may be what you are after but they have difficulty recruiting so young medics obviously aren't wanting that either. Today so far I've had people with depression, a few chronic skin problems, rectal bleeding and dealing with public health and anxious patients on the phone as one of our patients has pertussis so we're sorting out who needs prophylaxis and testing and someone with fertility problems plus other stuff..
Not rare and life threatening but then most medicine isn't. It is wide ranging though and you need a broad knowledge base.
Original post by MedMed12
are they not upping it to 5 ? after fy1 and fy2 or is it changing later?


No plan currently for the near future

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