Why be a GP?

Finishing you medical degree and thinking about the next step in your career?

Embark on a lifelong journey of discovery and education. Work wherever you want. Touch, change and save more lives. Stretch yourself, and your knowledge. Choose the path your career takes, the hours you work and the lifestyle you enjoy. Write your own story. Be a GP.

General Practice offers:

  • A diverse career path
  • Options for you to sub-specialise in anything from paediatrics to palliative care
  • A dynamic and supportive working environment
  • Opportunity to manage your own business
  • The potential to travel while you work
  • Varied, complex and challenging experiences

If general practice might be the perfect fit for you, watch the video below for more information.

Is a GP a specialist?
Don’t let the ‘general’ in ‘general practitioner’ fool you. GPs are specialists. Like all medical specialists, to be a GP takes an extended period of specialised training. To practice independently as a GP in Australia, you need to achieve a fellowship in general practice training. Otherwise known as a vocational GP, you won't just be specialising in one or two areas, you specialise in them all. This allows you to see a true variety of medicine throughout your career. GPs are often the first port of call, an invaluable service within the community. This means anything can walk through your door and the variety and scope of medicine you will encounter will be equally rewarding and challenging.  
Can I combine other areas of medicine with GP?
Specialities within GP can be explored at any point during your GP training and career. There are many specialities areas of medicine that go hand in hand with GP, especially in rural and remote areas. Speciality ares that you can combine with GP include:
  • Aboriginal health
  • anaesthetics
  • paediatrics and adolescent health
  • psychology and mental health
  • small town general practice and Royal Flying Doctor Service
  • surgery
  • emergency medicine
  • medical administration
  • women’s health services, obstetrics and family planning
  • occupational health
  • palliative care
  • drug and alcohol
  • sports medicine
  • travel medicine.
What’s it like to train as a GP in WA?
General practice is a diverse profession and Western Australia is a diverse state. Undertaking GP training in WA offers you a unique experience of learning from excellent and experienced practising GPs in the beautiful west part of Australia. In your training, you will have the opportunity to work and live in many different parts of the state, from the vibrant city of Perth, the lush, winery regions in the south, or the red dirt, hot weather and adventure-focused communities in the north. You can mould your practice to suit your professional, personal and family needs. There are opportunities to practise independently in a variety of urban and rural areas from admitting your own patients to the local hospital in a rural town to working in a corporate practice in Perth. You can train and develop advanced skills, such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. The ability to practise as a GP obstetrician or anaesthetist is available in urban areas as well as rural areas of WA.