A general practitioner (GP) provides comprehensive general care to patients and is usually the first point of contact in the medical system. They offer health education, preventive care, and medical counseling. GPs may work in hospitals, clinics, or offer home visits. Compensation rates vary.
A general practitioner (GP) is a doctor who provides comprehensive general care to patients, rather than focusing on a specific organ system, family of conditions, or type of medical problem. Many people see a family doctor for their primary care, and these medical professionals are usually the first point of contact into the medical system for patients. Training for this job requires attending medical school and completing a family medicine residency.
In some regions, general practitioners are referred to as “family doctors”. They are familiar with a wide range of medical conditions and problems, and many enjoy forming relationships with their patients so they can work with them throughout their lives. In addition to providing necessary medical care for both acute and chronic conditions, a family doctor also offers health education, preventive care, and medical counseling to patients.
When people think of the classic family doctor who makes house calls with a small black bag, this is the kind of doctor they are thinking of. At one time, these medical professionals provided most of the medical care, from obstetrics to setting broken bones. Today, many medical tasks are performed by people who have received training in specific specialties, and a family doctor may refer a patient to a specialist if he or she feels that a condition requires the attention of someone who specializes in it. For example, this doctor might set up a simple broken bone, but would refer a complex fracture to an orthopedic surgeon.
The job as a general practitioner can be very rewarding, although it can take time to develop a practice. GPs may work in hospital settings, but usually work in clinics or offer home visits. They tend to build a repeat patient practice, establishing relationships with people from infancy to old age, and can do everything from managing a chronic condition to addressing an emerging medical issue. Individuals who want to interact directly with many people and see a variety of medical conditions may enjoy working in this role.
Compensation rates in this branch of the medical profession vary. In some regions, a general practitioner may be able to command a very high salary, especially in remote regions where specialists are not readily available, requiring a physician to have a diverse skill set. Other areas of the world may offer lower pay, which, combined with very high costs for malpractice insurance, can make the field less attractive to some medical students.
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