Develop a flexible career around the needs of your patients and your personal life.
Work in a range of practice and community settings and even travel the globe to improve patient care.
Work in your favourite industry from sport and politics to business, events and even the military.
Diagnose a wide range of complex conditions, both quickly and compassionately as an expert medical generalist.
Play the role of a detective as you make accurate diagnoses.
Change the lives of your patients as you develop an understanding of the people and diversity in your local community.
Join a profession where teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity are required every day.
Work with multi-skilled teams in your community to deliver extensive care for your patients.
Help inspire the next generation of doctors as a teacher.
Take on new and exciting roles as care for patients increasingly moves out of hospitals and into the community.
Be empowered to lead improvements in healthcare and be at the forefront as technology evolves.
Make significant contributions to the care of many millions of patients around the world through research and development.
Make a difference and ensure your patients receive the best possible care.
Treat the whole patients and look at the physical, social and psychological aspects of a patients well being throughout their lives.
See patients in a variety of settings including the privilege of their own home.
Applying to general practice
Blog posts from GPs and future GPs
Dr Sham Mathurin-Charles shares her journey into medical school and why general practice is the career for her.
Dr Chloe Gamlin discusses why she is choosing general practice this year despite the recent media storm.
"Sometimes you will provide health solutions, sometimes you will offer comfort, support or advice. You will be there for patients at some of their hardest times, and hear things which they won’t tell their closest friends or family - that is so humbling and rewarding."
"As an F2 in GP I had patients seeing me regularly, and even requesting to see me because I had built up trust with them. That is what medicine is all about for me – helping real people who trust your opinion and return to you because of the relationship you have created."
"For me, the questions “why do you want to be a GP?” and “why do you want to be a doctor?” have the same answer. I genuinely believe that general practice is the specialty that allows me to be the doctor that I hoped I would be when I was interviewed almost 10 years ago, whilst allowing me to use the entire breadth of my medical training every 10 minutes."
"I am now a qualified GP, with a portfolio career in the military, simultaneously enjoying clinical sessions in the NHS and Armed Forces, as well as teaching GP trainees, doing contraception clinics and studying for a diploma in sports and exercise medicine and MSc in Primary and Community Care."
"What I love most about GP is being a part of people’s stories, even if it’s just listening to them. And sometimes you can help to shape those stories, 30 or 40 of them every day. No story is the same, and neither is your role in it."
"I have always been keen on General Practice, and enjoyed the continuity and community setting. I like the aspect of looking after a whole population with continuity of care. I always knew I had an interest in General Practice, as well as medical education."
"The GPs there were incredible and truly inspirational. I observed and learnt with fascination how they communicated with each other and the patients, and how they treated me – with such kindness, support and patience. I realised then that the teamwork and community they built with each other was something I would like to do and be part of in my future."
Taking the next step
If you want to pin down some of the detail, almost everything you need to know about the application process can be found on the GP National Recruitment Office’s website.
Applicant guidance, and recruitment timelines are a good place to start.
Finding your route to the GP register
Not sure on your route into general practice? We’re here to help. Dependent on your current post, career stage and prior experience, different options may be available. Please note that before you can practise as a GP in the UK, you need to be accepted onto the General Medical Council's GP Register.
Use our interactive pathfinder to help you find the best pathway for you. You can also contact our GP Specialist Applications team for advice on gpsa@rcgp.org.uk.
Resources for aspiring GPs
Engaging school pupils
This activity book and accompanying videos have been designed to help primary school pupils to learn about GPs and what they do. By undertaking these activities pupils will be able to develop Science, Maths, and English skills.
- Primary school activity book: Being a GP (PDF file, 3.2 MB) - this is the tasks and activities workbook for pupils to go through.
- Access the video playlist for the activity book - this is a series of animated videos to be used alongside the activity book.
- Primary school activity book: Being a GP teacher and facilitator's guide (PDF file, 2.6 MB) - this provides 'answers' to the tasks and activities, along with helpful additional notes.
RCGP members are uniquely positioned to promote general practice to school and college pupils, providing insights which can help young people make informed choices about their future careers.
There are a variety of ways members can engage with school pupils depending on the preferred age group, desired style of activity and time available, each carrying their own benefits.
If you are considering engaging with schools and are unsure where to start, consider our best practice when approaching schools (PDF file, 426 KB) and the different activities described below on our handouts.
Attending a careers fair (PDF file, 240 KB)
Invited to answer questions on a stall at a careers fair in a local school?
This information sheet is designed to help members maximise their time and have the greatest impact during this light touch activity.
Delivering a talk or workshop in a school (PDF file, 209 KB)
This could be a careers talk to 16-year-old aspiring medics, a Personal, Social and Healthcare (PSE/PSHE) or Living, Learning, Together (Northern Ireland) session to a group of 14-year-old pupils or a presentation to a whole primary school during assembly.
This information sheet is designed to help members for prepare for a talk or workshop, providing some things to consider and best practice.
In the presentations section below a template 'life as a GP' talk is available along with other materials which may be of use including activity sheets focusing on confidentiality, medical ethics and NHS core values.
Delivering a large-scale outreach event (PDF file, 490 KB)
Some faculties have organised, promoted and delivered large-scale events for school pupils for a number of years. Usually pupils register to attend a half or full day consisting of a series of workshops and talks in a carousel.
This information sheet provides some key things to consider when designing a larger-scale event for school pupils of any age.
A template task list (Word, 27 KB) has also been produced outlining many of the operational details that can be considered.
School pupils FAQs (PDF file, 344 KB)
Similar questions tend to emerge when engaging with school pupils, usually relating to medicine in general and what it is like to work as a GP.
Before attending or delivering any activity with school pupils we recommend reading through these FAQs and suggested answers.
Printed copies of this flyer are available from each faculty office to be handed out at careers fairs and events in schools. Please note this flyer is designed to be folded from A3 to A6 therefore sections appear upside down on screen.
How many flyers do you need? Example: you are invited to man a stand at a careers fair. If 700 pupils are invited, a smaller number will attend on the day. Unless it is a medicine focused event we would recommend taking 50 flyers.
A PowerPoint presentation containing the content from this flyer is available.
- Five fantastic reasons to become a GP (English) (PowerPoint, 2.9 MB)
- Five fantastic reasons to become a GP (Welsh) (PowerPoint, 2.7 MB)
The full text from the five fantastic reasons flyer can be found in the notes page of each slide.
A ‘text heavy’ PowerPoint which perfectly matches the flyer is also available - but is only designed to be used as a scrolling presentation (PowerPoint, 3.1 MB) in the background of events on plasma screens.
To use as a scrolling PowerPoint:
- Go to ‘transitions’, in the top right-hand corner
- Untick ‘on mouse click’ and set ‘advance slide’ e.g. 5 seconds for each
- Select ‘Slideshow’ from the top pane, followed by ‘set up slideshow’
- A box will open, and you can select ‘loop continuously until esc’.
Printed copies of this poster are available for faculties to request (folded into A4) to hand out at careers fairs and events in schools.
The content of this poster is the middle insert from the Five Fantastic Reasons to become a GP flyer.
Scripts: It is strongly recommended to read the suggested scripts for each of the presentations below by downloading the resource, clicking on ‘View’ and selecting ‘Notes Pages’ (below insert).
Each of these presentations is the same style. Faculties can add their own logo should they wish - if you have any difficulty formatting this please contact schools@rcgp.org.uk.
If you wish to combine more than one presentation, follow these instructions:
- Open and save both presentations you wish to use
- On the presentation you wish to add to select the arrow at the bottom of ‘new slide’
- Choose ‘reuse slides’ from the drop-down
- Browse to find the other presentation and be sure to tick ‘keep source formatting’ in the bottom right-hand corner before selecting the slides you wish to copy.
To support members who are asked to deliver a talk at a school about life as a GP. The presentation and its suggested script support PSHE/PSE (Personal, Social, Healthcare education core aims.
Endorsed by the Medical Schools Council this reflective diary is available for all pupils pursuing an application to study medicine to download and print.
The diary is designed to help pupils make the most of the work experience opportunities they obtain by providing examples of how to reflect and space to write down the skills and values they observe being demonstrated. It can be used for any work experience opportunity i.e. in primary care and/or secondary care, when volunteering in care home or during relevant part-time work. Hard copies can be requested at: schools@rcgp.org.uk
Pupils can also use our work experience information sheet (PDF file, 597 KB) to record important details i.e. dates, location etc.
A dedicated work experience web page provides information, resources and guidance for GP's and practices wishing to offer work experience placements.
GPs, teachers, careers advisers, event coordinators - if we have provided you with hard copy reflective diaries or you are signposting pupils to the above PDF please use these slides to explain their purpose and ensure they make the most of this resource.
Engaging medical students and foundation doctors
A Career as a GP (PowerPoint, 3.8 MB)
Created to showcase the best of general practice, this PowerPoint presentation mirrors our 'A career as a GP' publication in outlining the key components of a career in general practice, with complementary testimonials, videos and an overview of the specialty training application process.
A career as a GP (PDF file, 2.2 MB)
Created to showcase the best of general practice, this publication outlines the key components of a career in general practice, with complementary testimonials and an overview of the specialty training application process. This publication is to be handed out to medical students and foundation doctors whilst on placement or at a careers fair, event and/or conference.
Teaching general practice (PDF file, 2.7 MB)
This document aims to provide detailed guidance on the design, development and delivery of general practice learning and teaching at UK medical schools. It is based on best available evidence and wide consultation, including GP teaching leads at all UK medical schools. This resource was developed in conjunction with the Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC).
The RCGP is delighted to work closely with the Medical Schools' Selection Alliance to support young people who are interested in studying medicine.
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