Choosing Your Next GP Role

Choosing Your Next GP Role

Plan Your First Month Before You Accept Your next GP role will shape more than your working hours. It will influence the patients you care for, the colleagues you turn to and the time you have outside the consulting room.

Whether you have recently achieved Fellowship or are ready for a change of practice, a useful way to assess an opportunity is to picture your first month. What will happen before you arrive? How will your appointment book develop? Who will help when an unfamiliar process slows you down?

Working through those questions can turn an attractive advertisement into a clearer picture of daily life.

Before day one: confirm that the location works for you

Start with the exact practice address, your preferred sessions and a realistic journey to work. For a GP living in Melbourne’s south-east, for example, compare the commute at the times you would actually travel. A manageable Saturday drive may feel very different on a weekday morning.

Check any location requirements that apply to your circumstances. Distribution Priority Area (DPA) status identifies areas with a shortage of GP services, while the Modified Monash Model (MMM) describes geography and remoteness. MM1 is the metropolitan category; it does not, by itself, tell you a location’s DPA status. Check both separately using the official [Health Workforce Locator](https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator).

Ask which registration, Medicare and other approvals need to be in place for your intended work. Medicare requires an additional provider number when you work at a new practice location. Allow for that process when agreeing on a start date. See its [additional provider number guidance](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/apply-for-additional-provider-numbers?context=20).

Your first week: understand how the practice operates

Ask the practice manager to describe your induction. Ideally, you should know how to use the clinical software, find local referral information and contact the right person when you need assistance.

Discuss how results, recalls, urgent requests and clinical handovers are managed. Find out who covers these responsibilities when a doctor is away. These conversations make it easier to understand how the team shares information and maintains continuity.

For newly fellowed GPs, it is also helpful to ask about opportunities for informal case discussions. Independent practice can still include regular contact with experienced colleagues.

Weeks two and three: see how the role will develop

Ask how patients will learn that you have joined. Will you take over an existing patient list, offer additional appointments or build a new service around a clinical interest?

Request a realistic explanation of the expected settling-in period. Discuss appointment lengths, access to longer consultations and time for administrative work. If you hope to develop an interest in women’s health, skin medicine or another area, ask what facilities and team support are available.

For remuneration, request a written explanation of the calculation, payment timing and included practice services. If there is an introductory guarantee, clarify its duration, eligibility conditions and what happens when it ends. Have the proposed agreement reviewed by an appropriately qualified adviser before signing.

 At the end of month one: agree on a review

Suggest a check-in with the practice manager or principal after your first month. This creates a practical opportunity to discuss appointment demand, systems, support and any differences between the planned role and your experience.

Before accepting, write down three outcomes you want from the move. They might be a shorter commute, room to develop a clinical interest or a more predictable working week. Use those priorities when comparing opportunities, and record any unanswered questions.

A clear first-month plan gives you and the practice a shared starting point. It also helps you choose a role with greater confidence about what comes next.

**Ready to explore your next GP opportunity? Contact [Global MediRecruit](https://www.globalmedirecruit.com/) with your preferred location, availability and career priorities.**