Family Physicians and General Practitioners

Nature of work

Family physicians and general Practitioners (GPs) diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact and continuing and comprehensive care to patients of all ages. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Residents in training to be general practitioners and family physicians are included in this group.

Job duties

Family physicians and general practitioners:

• Examine patients and take their histories, order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures and consult with other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health.
• Prescribe and administer medications and treatments.
• Perform and help in routine surgery.
• Provide emergency care.
• Provide acute care management.
• Vaccinate patients to prevent and treat diseases.
• Deliver babies and provide pre-natal and post-natal care.
• Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness, and accident prevention.
• Provide counselling and support to patients and their families on a wide range of health and lifestyle issues.
• Perform patient advocacy role.
• Coordinate or manage primary patient care.
• Provide continuous care to patients.
• Supervise home care services.
• Report births, deaths, and contagious and other diseases to governmental authorities.

Sample job titles

• doctor of medicine (MD)
• family doctor
• family physician
• general practitioner (GP)
• intern
• medical doctor
• medical officer of health (MOH)
• primary care physician
• public health physician
• resident physician

Skills

Compassion, sensitivity, and a desire to help people are important. Physicians must take final responsibility for their decisions and the effects they have on patients' lives. Therefore, emotional stability, ethics, maturity, and good judgement are essential. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are important. You should be able to inspire confidence and put people at ease. You must be willing to continually update your knowledge and skills. Good health and stamina may be needed, as physicians often work long hours.

Job requirements

• A bachelor's degree.
• Graduation from an approved medical school and two to three years of family medicine residency training are required.
• Completion of the qualifying examinations of the Medical Council of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.

Other considerations

Most physicians are self-employed and administer their services through private practices. Most physicians are paid by fee-for-service where earnings depend upon the fees paid by the government for various services and the number of patients served. Some physicians are paid through alternative funding plans. Family physicians tend to work long and irregular hours, especially those physicians who operate their own practices or work in small groups. General practitioners and family physicians may become specialist physicians with additional training.

Regulations

Contacts