General Practitioner Job Profile and Description

General Practitioners, or GPs as they are better known, are those doctors who are appointed for continued care and treatment of patients within a local community by the National Health Services. They are trained fully to work in the primary medical sector. They generally work as a part of a team and work outside the secured environment of a hospital. They also may run a clinic. Such doctors are not just confined to any one line or branch of medicine.

General Practitioner Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of a general practitioner involve:

  • GPs are the first doctors that most people visit whenever there is a need for medical help
  • They perform checkups and recommend medicines or specialists to the patients
  • Advice patients on diet, care, hygiene and ways of preventing further illnesses.
  • Provide consultation on pre natal care, delivering the baby and post natal care too
  • Report the government authorities on births, deaths and outbreak of contagious diseases

General Practitioner Skills and Specifications

A General practitioner is required to possess the following skills and specifications:

  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Willingness to work for longer hours
  • Efficient decision-making skills
  • A positive and helping attitude towards patients

General Practitioner Education and Qualifications

A general practitioner is required to hold a minimum of the following education and qualifications:

  • A five-year medical degree
  • Compulsory general and hospital practice for a few years
  • Professional up gradation of knowledge
  • Rigorous and detailed courses in science

General Practitioner Salary

A general practitioner with a years experience can expect an annual income of $150,000 on an average. The type of job profile, experience of the candidate and qualifications are some of the other factors that decide the salary.

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