Australia is among the best places to live — it is regarded as one of the higher-paid nations in the world. The general practitioner career is among the constantly green fields in Australia, and the remunerations are equally satisfactory.
According to a 2023 report, Australian general practitioners (GP) take home an average of $199,500 annually, or above $100.96 an hour.
The average daily pay for doctors in Australia is $767, while the maximum monthly salary is $16,625. Professionals at the entry-level may expect to make $138,869 per year, while those with more expertise can earn up to $263,250. It is more than the GM’s $136,296 annual income and the professor’s $160,931 salary.
By projecting the income spectrum that these practitioners might anticipate in 2023, this brief but informative article will assist you in analysing the breadth of this career. So without further ado, let’s dive right into what lies ahead for anyone who dreams of being a general practitioner in Australia.
Who is a General Practitioner?
A GP, or general practitioner, may handle minor health issues and refer patients suffering from chronic conditions to other healthcare facilities with better facilities and more qualified medical practitioners.
These clinicians typically operate in clinics, medical, and emergency care facilities. They have a wide variety of medical knowledge and are not specialists in any one area of medicine.
What are the Roles of General practitioners?
The duties of a GP depend primarily on their specialty and the requirements of the private clinics, operations, or hospitals where they operate. For instance, a private clinic specialising in minor surgery could need Physicians with the experience and abilities to treat wounds, set and remove contraceptive implants, and execute other procedural competence necessary to carry out the clinic’s duties.
In contrast, a clinic in a suburb may focus on chronic conditions and preventative measures, calling for GPs for diagnosis, nutrition, and coordinator duties. These are a few typical GP roles:
- Palliative care services: GPs specialising in palliative care work to ease the symptoms of terminally sick patients. To do this, medical professionals sometimes visit sick people at their residences to administer treatment and deliver necessary prescriptions.
- Care coordination: A general practitioner’s role as care coordinator generally includes developing a treatment plan for patients having unique or complicated health needs. Such may include older people or those with sensory, physical, cognitive, or psychological impairments.
Primary care physicians in this area often work in tandem with other medical professionals caring for their patients, like psychiatrists and neurologists, to share patient data and improve care.
- Injury management services: General practitioners specialising in workers’ compensation can help their patients with the paperwork related to their injuries and tracking their symptoms. They can also organise the issuance of development certificates—which indicate when the patient can resume work—to their current or former employer and insurance company.
Those in this position may prescribe medication and recommend patients to specialists to manage their clients’ injuries and illnesses.
- Mentorship role: Mentoring newly-certified general practitioners is a position experienced and senior GPs can take on. Mentoring general practitioners allows them to supervise the work of less-experienced colleagues while providing them with the continual assistance and direction they need to acquire the expertise necessary to offer their patients the best possible care.
- Family practice provider: A GP specialising in family medicine treats the whole family. When a family member is ill or needs medical guidance, the doctor can establish a relationship with them and provide them with a treatment plan, medicines, and specialist recommendations.
Remuneration Plan for General Practitioners in Australia
GPs are independent practitioners who receive their total gross billings before taxes are taken out, and it is their responsibility to file their tax bills to the ATO (Australian Taxation Office). Individuals can customise their superannuation plans to fit their needs and preferences.
Here is a breakdown of how GPs get paid in Australia:
Considerations
- Working hours: Work schedules range from full-time (often between 32 and 40 hours each week) to part-time (typically less than 16 hours per week).
- Billings’s percentage: varies from practice to practice, but most pay between 65% and 75%. Weekends and evening shifts may be charged at a higher rate.
- Number of Consultations: A GP would attend to four to six patients at a regular hour. It boils down to personal attitude.
- Types of consultation: Medicare provides reimbursement to general practitioners at varying rates based on patient complexity, hours spent, and treatment type.
Consultation Charges
There is no legislative restriction on rates for GPs in Australia, and while the AMA (Australian Medical Association) issues consulting rate estimates, they are not enforceable on GPs. General Practitioners have complete autonomy in pricing their services.
According to the MABEL research, the regular non-bulk-billed GPs appointments are $50.10, while the baseline for all clients is $42.06.
Average Hours
People worldwide flock to Australia because the country offers a better work-life balance than theirs.
See the stats here:
- Over 75% of GPs work between 35 to 40 hours a week.
- About 46% of female general operators work between 30 to 39 hours a week.
- 64% of GPs who work more than 40 hours a week are men.
- 62% of male GPs worked 40-45 hours a week.
These hours encompass all general practitioner duties, such as filing, meetings, consultations, etc.
Average GP Income
A remuneration survey in Australia reveals that, on average, a full-time GP makes between $200,000 to $350,000 annually. Nevertheless, by working on weekends, holidays, and evening schedules, accomplishing treatments, and monitoring patients with chronic diseases, profits could grow to over $500,000 annually.
These statistics apply to all aspects, whether you operate in an agency that utilises bulk or split invoicing.
Responsibilities of a GP
Here are some of the responsibilities you’ll have as a GP to consider if that’s a career path you’re seriously considering:
1. Diagnosing illnesses
Among the most everyday functions for general practitioners is making diagnoses. Depending on your clinic size, you may attend to up to 20 patients daily.
Queries like “What are the symptoms you are experiencing?” “Have you been taking any meds?” and “When did you start experiencing these problems?” are common types of inquiries made by general practitioners when attempting to diagnose a patient’s mental or physical condition.
2. Prescribe medications
A general practitioner may decide that it is necessary to prescribe medication for an individual after making a diagnosis. In the case of pathogenic bacteria, a GP may offer a single round of antibiotics.
Another patient with cholesterol problems may be offered a prescription for cholesterol-lowering medicine. General practitioners may also provide repeat prescriptions to patients who need ongoing treatment with a particular drug, such as those with thyroid disorders.
3. Provide referrals
GPs are trained to handle a wide range of conditions because they have a broad understanding of the human body and medical science. They may refer patients to specialists for a proper diagnosis and further advanced therapies, procedures, and careful guidance. However, the GPs must determine the best-suited expert for the patient’s condition before drafting a referral.
When determining the best course of therapy for a patient, a primary care physician may recommend blood tests. For instance, a patient may report having symptoms of a thyroid problem. They might also tell a doctor that thyroid problems run rampant in their family.
A doctor may suggest they get blood tests done to check levels of hormones and see if their thyroid is malfunctioning. A general practitioner (GP) can benefit from this referral regarding patient diagnosis and ongoing care.
4. Perform minor surgeries
Many family doctors are also trained to conduct more complex surgical procedures, such as removing skin lesions and lumps and inserting and evacuating intrauterine devices. A primary care physician (PCP) can fulfil this role by consulting with the patient to determine whether or not they are willing to undergo surgery.
A general practitioner (GP) will usually set up any necessary equipment and ensure the nurses have cleaned and sterilised the operating setting first before the patient comes for their surgery. Here, a GP will carry out the procedure and discuss with the patient what to expect afterwards.
Essential Skills for General Practitioners
As a general practitioner, you may find that the following skills come in handy:
1. Empathy
Putting yourself in another person’s shoes and responding compassionately and with understanding is fundamental in any healthcare environment. General practitioners often treat people suffering from severe diseases; thus, this skill could be invaluable to them.
For instance, a GP who uses empathy appropriately can assist in putting their patient at ease and lay the groundwork for a trusting and compassionate doctor-patient bond. These specialists can demonstrate empathy in various ways, including maintaining eye contact, actively listening, and providing supportive words.
2. Verbal communication
Most of a GP’s day is spent conversing with patients about their health; good verbal communication is often crucial. For instance, many people who seek medical attention might have to learn the basics of the human body’s circulatory, digestive, and lymphatic systems. A doctor skilled in verbal language will be able to break down complex medical concepts for their patients and present them in terms that are easy to understand.
3. Organisation
Being well-organized can help you save time and effort in your general practitioner role. A typical day for a GP may include, among other things, consultations with multiple patients, trips to professional conferences, and stacks of paperwork. You can meet the demands of your patients and finish additional chores on time because of your superior organisational skills.
4. Ambition
You and your patients can benefit from your ambition as a doctor. Aspiration can lead to a craving for lifelong education and development to hone one’s craft and increase marketability. This may necessitate acquiring additional expertise. Committing to lifelong learning, you can improve your diagnostic accuracy and provide more consistent patient care.
5. Stamina
General practitioners regularly put in unusually lengthy shifts. Based on the workplace, some employees may be required to work more than 11 hours daily and be on call for unannounced emergencies. While it’s not compulsory, having a lot of stamina will help you deal with the physical and mental fatigue that may sometimes set in as a general practitioner.
Other Skills
- Attention to details
- Business management abilities
- Decision-making skills
- Ability to spot a problem and solve it out
Typical Employers of GPs
General practitioners are self-employed workers for the National Health Service. Conversely, salaried GPs are hired by the GP practice and paid a fixed income based on their level of expertise.
The BMJ (British Medical Journal) and general practitioners’ Online publications regularly post job openings for GPs. The National Health Service (NHS) and the RCGP (Royal College of General Practitioners) also frequently post-GP job openings on their websites.
What You Need to Become a GP in Australia?
Generally, health-related careers require individuals to take their studies seriously and excel in relevant subjects. This is because once released to the actual world, they are responsible for making decisions that may save lives. To become a GP in Australia, one needs to achieve the following;
- Get a degree related to the medical field, like a Bachelor’s in Dental, Oral Health, or Medical Laboratory Science. The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) and an interview play a role in the admissions process, along with your grades from high school.
- Alternatively, you could get your bachelor’s degree and then a master’s or doctorate recognised in your field. The GAMSAT and a mark from a semi-structured examination are required for admission.
- Do a one-year internship program in which you rotate across various departments in a reputable hospital.
- Apply for general registration with the Medical Board of Australia. You can then complete 1-2 more years of training as a Resident before entering a specialist training program.
- The AGPT Program is required for admission to the FRACGP, and an extra three years of schooling in general medicine culminated in a certification exam. You can spend an additional year in school learning about rural practice.
The Current Stats of General Practice in Australia
Australia’s healthcare system relies heavily on general practitioners. GPs in Australia are in a good place right now, although it does have its problems. Recent research has shown a need for more primary care physicians in rural and outlying regions.
The AMA produced a report showing a considerable disparity in general practitioners nationwide. Poor patient impacts and higher healthcare expenses may result from residents’ inability to get medical care quickly.
Why Is There a Shortage of General Practitioners in Australia
Several reports have speculated that Australia will soon have too many medical professionals. Nonetheless, there is an extreme need for more GPs in Australia.
The foundation of Australia’s health service has consistently been the general practice. Almost every single Australian sees their family doctor at least every year. General practitioners’ (GPs’) professional responsibilities have broadened in the past few decades to include more regular treatment of long-term illnesses, referrals, prescriptions, and laboratory orders, and a focus on the care of the elderly.
The aging of the Baby Babyboomers is directly responsible for this.
The doctors who treat their patients are getting older at the same time that their patient base is getting older across many generations. The percentage of family physicians 55 and older is higher than that of any other specialty. And this generation will be retiring soon if they haven’t already.
Students Training to Become GPs in Australia
Unfortunately, most young Australians do not find a GP career appealing and are not intending to specialise in it.
Despite a record number of students enrolling in medical school, just a few are opting to become family physicians. So, whilst the number of GPs has remained relatively stable over the previous decade, the number of physicians focusing their training elsewhere has increased dramatically.
The ageing generation of Australia’s family doctors leaves many local communities needing a clear succession plan. Due to the country’s rapidly aging population, GPs are in high demand across Australia.
It can take a while to fill these positions, and in the south of Australia, there need to be more GPs. Several areas without a full-time family doctor rely on locum tenens, or “flying” doctors, who rotate every week. While this may be adequate in the short term, more long-term options are needed immediately.
The AMA estimated in 2020 that the country would be over 860 GPs short; without action to increase recruitment and retention, this number may rise to 10,600 by 2031-23.
General Practitioners in Australian Rural Areas
There is a massive shortage of general practitioners for the same reasons in rural areas. The increased lack of rural doctors is blamed on fatigue and an aging workforce. Over three times as many medical school grads are required for general practice, and the shortage of general practitioners in rural areas is at a critical stage.
High replacement rates in rural locations are one-way practices trying to entice doctors to work outside major cities.
Benefits of Being a General Practitioner in Australia
There are several opportunities for a recent medical school graduate interested in general practice across Australia. Some of them include the following:
1. Career Development Opportunities
Being a general practitioner has several benefits, including advancing one’s career and growing professionally. You can cultivate a deep connection with patients as a general practitioner. This will allow you to improve your skills and expertise over time. You may also pursue more training and specialities to broaden your profession and enhance the amount of money you could make.
2. General Practice is Very Flexible
The ability to adapt to changing circumstances is another perk that comes with working as a GP. Most general practitioners are in charge of their schedules and have the flexibility to decide whether they want to work Full-time or part-time.
This flexibility can make achieving a good work-life balance possible, which is critical for preventing exhaustion and maintaining one’s mental well-being.
3. Authority over Your Rates
Even when working the typical 40-hour week, a general practitioner can earn a handsome wage. If a general practitioner (GP) wants to make more income, they must opt to put in more hours, like in the evenings, on public holidays, and at weekends.
Certified GPs earn more than $300,000 a year. This will result in a substantial revenue increase for you, making this line of work an even more lucrative option.
Working in specific locations could also lead to a rise in a general practitioner’s pay. This is especially true if the site in question is one in which a centre or clinic needs help finding reliable staff members.
4. Long-Term Relationships With Patients
People tend to continue seeing the same physician, which is why many general practitioners are called ” family doctors.” Patients tend to feel more at ease when interacting with a physician they are already acquainted with and have grown to trust.
Establishing long-term connections with patients rarely happens in hospital environments or other specialised healthcare fields. Still, you get to appreciate the personal joy of doing so when you work as a general practitioner.
Building these kinds of long-term relationships between a physician and the patient, as well as being aware that a significant number of patients have faith in one’s clinical judgment and one’s capacity to provide effective treatment, can bring a certain level of job satisfaction.
Commencing GP work in Australia
Starting General Practice in Australia
Establishing a steady stream of new patients may take a while, which could reduce your income in the first year. It’s dependent upon the size of the practice’s patient base. Successful bulk-billing companies tend to see more patients overall.
Following the first year in Oz, you should have built a solid clientele eager to recommend you to their friends.
Wrapping Up
The salary of a GP in Australia is expected to reflect various factors, including the practitioner’s years of experience, the area in which they practice, and the level of demand for their services. This compensation is competitive in the market.
As the healthcare system evolves, general practitioners (GPs) may face new compensation structures, such as alternative payment models and incentives for performance-based outcomes. As the need for primary care services rises, GPs are expected to play a more significant role in the Australian healthcare system, and their pay should rise to reflect this shift in the industry.