Being a GP

practicing his way

DR MAREK STEINER

‘Four GPs will be perfect because we want to remain a community family General Practice,’



There are so many ways to be a GP and the opportunity to shape or alter your career and your lifestyle is always available.

  • General community practice with a diversity of patients and daily variety of preventative medicine, medical problem solving, clinical and procedural treatment
  • Work in indigenous health in urban, rural and remote areas is a unique cultural, socio-economic and medical experience, and one where the rewards go beyond the patient relationship and continuity of care making a difference
  • Rural practice where interest and skills in areas like obstetrics and anaesthetics are an important part of the community’s healthcare resources
  • Developing a special interest as part of your practice; women’s health, men’s health, sports medicine, palliative care, and there are many more
  • Practice medicine on the move, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, expedition medicine, the Australian Defence Forces or working overseas

Lifestyle choices and community involvement feature in a GPs life in a way that often isn’t possible in the other specialties.

  • Working part-time is possible, and isn’t a career delaying or diminishing choice
  • GPs can have working hours which give them control over their personal time
  • With work locations everywhere, being a GP means living any kind of lifestyle, in any environment or community.
  • The very nature of general practice engages a GP in community life and issues
  • Hear directly about the challenges and rewards of life in a country practice, from GPs and their partners who made the shift to rural and remote practice, in this series of 5 minute documentaries

career, community and family

DR KATE DAVEY

‘The sense of belonging in a rural environment has added a profound richness to my medical career. I’m not sure I’d have this if I was working in a metropolitan environment.’