General practitioner
General practitioners (GPs) treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.
You’ll have an important role looking after patients in your community.
Life as a GP
You’ll be part of a wider team that promotes, prevents and offers treatment. You’ll care for people with chronic illness and long-term conditions, aiming to keep them well and in their own homes.
A full-time working week usually comprises of eight sessions, which equates to four days. A typical day in the practice normally starts at around 8am when you’ll check paperwork before seeing patients. You’ll spend time with a mix of patients with a variety of health needs until late morning, either face-to-face or through a phone consultation. At the end of morning surgery, some GPs see extra patients who need to be seen urgently.
After morning appointments, you'll generally catch up on paperwork, and make any phone calls. After lunch you may visit patients in their homes or care homes. Once visits are complete, you’ll start your afternoon surgery, which might run from 3pm until 5.30pm. You may also provide evening and weekend appointments.
Dr Chris Pearce
GP
Read Chris's storyEach patient experiences conditions slightly differently which means that the work is never boring. There is also a detective element that I enjoy - you may have to look beneath the presenting symptoms to find out what the patient is really saying.

How much can I earn?
GPs employed by the NHS receive a salary of between £68,975 to £104,085.
Many other GPs are responsible for running their own practices either alone or in partnership with other GPs. This means they have the freedom to decide how much to pay themselves and their employees, including any GPs they employ.
How about the benefits?
- make a difference
- flexible and part-time working
- high income early in your career
- work anywhere in the world
- excellent pension scheme
- good holiday entitlement
- NHS discounts in shops and restaurants
Must-have skills
- communication skills
- an interest in working with people
- the ability to work as part of a large team
- the willingness and ability to handle uncertainty and conflicting demands
- the ability to stay calm while working under pressure
- excellent organisational and time-management skills
- a willingness to develop entrepreneurial and business skills
- good IT skills
- the ability to manage change
Entry requirements
Your first step is medical school. Typically, you’ll need excellent GCSEs and three A or A* passes at A level including chemistry for a five-year undergraduate degree in medicine. Many medical schools also ask for biology and others may require maths or physics.
If you already have a degree, you could study for a four-year postgraduate degree in medicine.
You’ll need to pass an interview and admissions test. You’ll be asked to show how you demonstrate the NHS values such as compassion and respect.
Some medical schools look to recruit a mix of students from different backgrounds and geographical areas, so your educational and economic background and family circumstances could be considered as part of your application.
How to become a GP
After medical school, you’ll join the paid two-year foundation programme where you’ll work in six placements in different settings.
After your foundation programme, you can apply for paid specialty training to become a GP which will take a minimum of three years.
You may be able to train part time, for example for health reasons or if you have family or caring responsibilities.
Where a career as a GP can take you
You could:- specialise in areas such as sports medicine, adolescent health, diabetes or palliative medicine
- get involved in research at universities, the NHS or the private sector
- teach medical students or postgraduate doctors in training
Displaying 1 - 5 of 77 matches
Medicine with Foundation Year
University of Plymouth
View courseOpens in a new window
- Qualification
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - BMBS
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration of the course
- 6 Years
- Leading to a career in
- Medicine
- Contact details
- [email protected] +44 (0)1752 437333
- Region
- South West
- Admissions address
- Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
United Kingdom
Medicine (Graduate Entry) (4 years)
University of St Andrews
View courseOpens in a new window
- Qualification
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - MB ChB
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration of the course
- 4 Years
- Leading to a career in
- Medicine
- Contact details
- [email protected] 01334 463619
- Region
- Scotland
- Admissions address
- 16 St Katharine's West
St Andrews
KY16 9AX
United Kingdom
Medicine (Graduate Entry)
Cardiff University
View courseOpens in a new window
- Qualification
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - MB BCh
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration of the course
- 4 Years
- Leading to a career in
- Medicine
- Contact details
- [email protected] 029 2087 9999
- Region
- Wales
- Admissions address
- 30-36 Newport Road
Cardiff
CF24 0DE
United Kingdom
Medicine North Wales
Cardiff University
View courseOpens in a new window
- Qualification
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - MB BCh
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration of the course
- 4 Years
- Leading to a career in
- Medicine
- Contact details
- [email protected] 029 2087 9999
- Region
- Wales
- Admissions address
- Bangor University
Bangor
Gwynedd, North Wales
Bangor
LL57 2DG
Wales
Medicine
Cardiff University
View courseOpens in a new window
- Qualification
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - MB BCh
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration of the course
- 5 Years
- Leading to a career in
- Medicine
- Contact details
- [email protected] 029 2087 9999
- Region
- Wales
- Admissions address
- 30-36 Newport Road
Cardiff
CF24 0DE
United Kingdom
-
GP General Practitioner
London, W104NJ
- Salary :
- £46000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Brompton Medical Centre Partnership
-
GP (General Practitioner)
Ilford, IG1 1EE
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- ILFORD MEDICAL CENTRE
-
GP/General Practitioner
Blackburn, BB1 3HQ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Local Primary Care GP Federation
-
Salaried GP - General Practitioner
Doncaster, DN6 8AG
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Great North Medical Group
-
General Practitioner (GP)
Rushden, NN10 9TR
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Rushden Medical Centre
-
General Practitioner (GP)
Leeds, LS9 7TF
- Salary :
- £92000.00 to £110000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- OneMedicalGroup
-
General Practitioner (GP)
and Newton Abbot., EX1 3QS
- Salary :
- £70.00 to £110.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner (GP)
Middlesbrough, TS3 6AL
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Greater Middlesbrough Primary Care Network (PCN)
-
General Practitioner / GP Trainer
Staveley, S43 3UZ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
MOD General Practitioner (MOD GP)
Wallingford, OX10 6AA
- Salary :
- £85451.00 to £104560.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)
-
Newly Qualified Salaried General Practitioner (GP)
Irthlingborough, NN9 5GA
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Spinney Brook Medical Centre
-
Salaried General Practitioner (GP) ARRS PCN
Blackpool, FY4 1TJ
- Salary :
- £10000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Blackpool South Primary Care Network
-
General Practitioner
Waltham Cross, EN8 7DJ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Stanhope Surgery
-
General Practitioner
London, SW25XF
- Salary :
- £120000.00 to £120000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Glen Parva, LE18 4WS
- Salary :
- £125000.00 to £125000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Bicester, OX25 1PZ
- Salary :
- £126600.00 to £132930.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Derby, DE65 5DN
- Salary :
- £120000.00 to £131000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Farnborough, GU14 0NP
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Voyager Family Health
-
General Practitioner
London, NW3 5BY
- Salary :
- £11500.00 to £12000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Daleham Gardens Surgery
-
General Practitioner
Liverpool, L9 7LH
- Salary :
- £110775.00 to £120787.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Leyland, PR268NE
- Salary :
- £100000.00 to £120000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Oldham, OL4 1YN
- Salary :
- £95000.00 to £100000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Alexandra Group Medical Practice
-
General Practitioner
London, SE11 5NH
- Salary :
- £11500.00 to £12000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Vauxhall Surgery
-
General Practitioner
Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1YA
- Salary :
- £11986.48
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Pier Health Group Ltd
-
General Practitioner
Peterborough, PE3 7PD
- Salary :
- £640.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- DoctorPA Secure LTD
-
General Practitioner
Oakham , LE15 7RD
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
London, WC1X 8TS
- Salary :
- £11500.00 to £12000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Gray's Inn Medical Practice
-
General Practitioner
Newport, NP19 4TD
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lliswerry Medical Centre
-
General Practitioner
London, SE28 0FJ
- Salary :
- £120000.00 to £120000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Doncaster, DN2 5LT
- Salary :
- £47.48
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- FCMS
-
General Practitioner
Doncaster, DN2 5LT
- Salary :
- £47.48
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- FCMS
-
General Practitioner
Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3NJ
- Salary :
- £106825.00 to £114743.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust
-
General Practitioner
Brandlesholme, Bury, BL8 1EG
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Woodbank Surgery
-
General Practitioner
Leeds, LS25 5AA
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South Milford Surgery
-
General Practitioner
Dorking, RH4 1HJ
- Salary :
- £70.00 to £90.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Pontypool, NP4 7BH
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- GP Practice in Wales
-
General Practitioner
Featherstone, WV10 7QD
- Salary :
- £110000.00 to £119215.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
London, SE28 0EB
- Salary :
- £130000.00 to £132297.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
General Practitioner
Sheffield, S8 0BJ
- Salary :
- £10000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Beauchief Medical Practice
-
General Practitioner
Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 3NJ
- Salary :
- £106825.00 to £114743.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust
-
General Practitioner
Sheffield, S8 0BJ
- Salary :
- £10000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Beauchief Medical Practice
-
General Practitioner
Tarporley, CW6 0BE
- Salary :
- £27000.00 to £32000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Kelsall Medical Centre
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Folkestone, CT18 7BP
- Salary :
- £10500.00 to £11500.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hawkinge and Elham and Valley Practice
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Woolwich, SE18 6PZ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Valentine Health Partnership
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Gateshead, NE9 5XY
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fell Cottage Surgery
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Skipton, BD23 2HZ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Dyneley House Surgery
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Upper Solva, SA62 6TW
- Salary :
- £104048.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
-
Bank General Practitioner
London, N7 8TT
- Salary :
- £90.00 to £90.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Reigate, RH2 9HG
- Salary :
- £11708.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Wall House Surgery
-
Overnight General Practitioner
Guildford, GU2 7XX
- Salary :
- £70.00 to £90.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
PCN General Practitioner
Stockton-on-tees, TS21 3BN
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South Durham Health CIC
-
Salaried General Practitioner
London, W10 6DZ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Primary Care Management Solutions Ltd
-
General Practitioner (Salaried)
Port Talbot, SA12 7BJ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Riverside Surgery
-
General Practitioner (ARRS)
Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4SE
- Salary :
- £11000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South Durham Health CIC
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Thornton-cleveleys, FY5 3LF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cleveleys Group Practice
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Abingdon, OX14 1BT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Marcham Road Health Centre
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Derby, DE23 8JX
- Salary :
- £76038.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Osmaston Surgery
-
Salaried General Practitioner
London, E4 8DG
- Salary :
- £10200.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Churchill Medical Centre
-
PCN General Practitioner
March, PE15 9BY
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fenland PCN Ltd
-
Salaried General Practitioner
Thornton-cleveleys, FY5 3LF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cleveleys Group Practice
Showing 6 of 60 results
-
The Royal College of GPs has further information about being a GP, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.