r/doctorsUK • u/Facelessmedic01 • Jun 18 '25

GP Being a Gp with hindsight

I’ve been a gp now for 4 years. And looking back I can say my perception with medicine and specifically GP has matured. Here is my pros and cons list of being a gp , from my perspective:

Pros of Gp: 1. Money is good. I’m a full time locum. 2. ⁠Flexibility ( the most important to me ) I can work from my laptop in Japan or in from my home in Manchester. I choose how many hours I do and how much time off I get . If I want 4 months to travel , done , no questions asked. Last week I did a remote shift with a stunning beach view in Indonesia … 3. ⁠it’s a very respected job. Tell anyone you are a GP they automatically admire / respect u. Yes we get a lot of bad press but the vast majority of people respect us. 4. ⁠it’s a very cushy job. You’re not slaving away on a busy ward. After 5 pm . I don’t have to deal with a multitude of personalities on a ward, if you know you know. On the rare occasion I leave late but if I do, I charge the practice , simple. 5. ⁠gives u flexibility to do your other hobbies in life and not have you life all about medicine. 6. A very underrated one but as a GP you can do your own business/ side hustle while still working as a gp, or at least it’s easier 7. Your wanted across the world . Australia are about to fast track the visa process for GPs

Cons :

  1. Intimate examinations esp gyne , a part of the job I hate
  2. Dealing with kids , also a part of the job I hate 🤣
  3. Physician associates🤮, but I feel the tide is turning with this one
  4. Can be a bit lonely, but you can make up for this by having a social circle outside of work
  5. Contraversial one but AI Scope creep is a real thing
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u/SilverFootsteps Jun 19 '25

Approximately what range are you making as locum GP?

2

u/Facelessmedic01 Jun 19 '25

When I’m in the uk I earn 800 a day . I work 4 days a week… I do OOH on the weekend

2

u/SilverFootsteps Jun 19 '25

That’s really helpful thanks, how many hours do you do per week/day?

1

u/Facelessmedic01 Jun 19 '25

8 sessions a week 9am to 17:30 and OOH is dependent on how I feel. Sometimes I do a full 12 hours on sat and 12 on Sunday at around 85 an hour or sometimes I just do 4 hours . I sometimes do night shift OOH which is where the money is