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Checklist of things to think about as a newly qualified GP

Written by: Jennifer Jackson
Published on: 24 Jul 2017

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Are you a newly registered GP? Use Prospect Health’s checklist to help you land your first job

If you’re a newly qualified GP or are about to qualify, Prospect Health has compiled a checklist of things to think about whilst preparing to make your move into general practice. The tips on this list come from Prospect Health’s own team of specialist recruiters as well as GPs it has worked with, either helping them find their perfect role or the perfect doctor for their practice.

Before applying for jobs...

Think:

  • Which location(s) do you want to work in? Do you want to stay in the area where you trained or are you willing to relocate? How far and for how long are you willing to travel?
  • What kind of practice do you want to work in? Are you looking for an independent practice that runs a traditional morning and afternoon session plus home visits? Or would you rather work in a larger practice that is part of a group that may work more via telephone and Skype calls? Would you be most comfortable working in a training practice with extra support in your first role? 
  • What are your career development plans? Consider your areas of interest so you can weigh up whether the practice you apply for will be able to support your long term career goals.

Once you’ve secured an interview...

Think:

  • What would it be like to work there? Visit the surgery you’re applying to work at and observe the layout and information they provide for their patients. Try and witness members of the team interacting with patients - are they friendly and professional? Do you get a good feel about the working environment? 
  • Who can you speak to through your network of contacts? Ask around and use your network to see if you can get feedback about the practice you’ve applied to.
  • What’s the staff turnover like? Try and find out how long on average members of the team have worked there for
  • Prepare for the interview itself: Download Prospect Health’s competency interview guide to help you excel in the interview

When you’re offered the job...

Think:

  • Will the workload be manageable? Think about acceptable periods of review so that you have the opportunity to discuss your workload. Try to proactively discuss how you intend to integrate into the team.
  • What package do you want? Negotiating your salary, contracted hours, place of work and medical indemnity insurance may feel awkward but is essential. Having a recruitment consultant to support you here can be very helpful.

This article is based on Prospect Health’s original blog post: Newly registered GP? Wondering how to take the next step and land the dream GP job?

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