A day in the life of a General Practitioner

Dr Albert Wu is an Auckland-based GP.

On a typical day, a general practitioner could speak with 30 or more patients. Traditionally this would have been face-to-face in the practice, but now telehealth, phone appointments, and email script options are meaning that the ability of a GP to add benefit to their patients' lives is growing.

GPs often interact with the same patients regularly which means that they often get to know them, and build a rapport; listening plays a big part in a GPs day.

"I also have always respected this specialty as one of the most difficult ones. You have very limited time and information to make those judgment calls. And, if you miss something, it can be quite devastating" Dr Albert Wu told Medrecruit.

A Medrecruit GPs day could include: Listening to patients and diagnosing and treating their symptoms, deciding on the right course of action for patients (this could include hospital referral for specialised treatment), writing scripts, and conducting in-house examinations and treatment solutions.

Although making multiple judgment calls in one day can be stressful, one great thing about working as a GP is the hours.

GPs will typically work a four or four-and-a-half-day week, with a typical 36-hour workweek and a minimum of 20 days annual leave – allowing for a family-friendly lifestyle.

Dr Albert Wu said that this was one of the main reasons he decided to pursue the specialty "There many factors involved, but essentially it was the work/life balance."

Unlike other specialties, many general practitioners are independent contractors. This means GPs need to have an understanding of how to operate a contracting business.

When we have spoken with other Medrecruit GPs they have all said similar things, the job is extremely satisfying in the sense that they get to know their patients and their families and make a difference in their lives.