Related Jobs or Working with these Jobs
General Medical
Practitioners [GP] diagnose
physical and mental illnesses, disorders and injuries, and prescribe
medications and treatment to promote or restore good health.
They tend to see patients on a one-to-one,
non-emergency basis regarding temporary or chronic illness, general health
check-ups and preventative health tests. They are usually the first point of
call regarding non-emergency illness or injury, and often refer patients on
to specialists once they have made their diagnosis.
ANZSCO ID & description:
253111: Diagnoses, treats and prevents human
physical and mental disorders and injuries. Registration or licensing is
required.
Alternative names: GP, General
Practitioner,
Knowledge, skills and attributes
A general practitioner needs:
-
an interest in the well-being of others
-
good communication and people skills
-
compassionate towards others
-
self-confidence
-
to work well under pressure, and in emergency situations
-
to be reliable and responsible
-
stamina to work long hours
-
a high degree of motivation and self-discipline
Duties and Tasks
Medical practitioners may perform the following tasks:
-
examine the patient to determine the nature of the disorder or illness and record the patient's medical information
-
order, perform and analyse laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic images and procedures
-
provide overall care for patients and prescribe and administer treatments, medications and other remedial measures
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aid in the prevention of diseases and disorders by advising patients on diet, exercise, hygiene and general health
-
prescribe and administer medication and inoculate patients to prevent infectious or contagious diseases
-
provide pre-natal and post-natal care
-
report births, deaths and notifiable diseases to government authorities
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arrange for patients to be admitted to hospital
-
refer patients to other medical specialists and exchange relevant medical details.
Working conditions
General practitioners work in health clinics and practices in both the government and private sectors. They normally work with a small group of practitioners in a general practice, but do most of their work individually in private rooms with limited medical equipment. They may also work in a large community health centres with other health professionals and see patients in group settings. General practitioners are required all over Australia. In small rural communities, they may be required to conduct house visits if clinic facilitates are limited or unavailable, or if their patients live in isolated locations. All general practitioners, regardless of their location or workplace, come in contact with infectious diseases and bodily fluids. Medical practitioners sometimes have to deal with unpleasant conditions due to a patient's illness or injury. Adopting strict hygiene practices is important. They need to wear protective gear such as gloves.
Medical practitioners are
involved in a wide range of activities, including consultations, attending
emergencies, performing operations and arranging medical investigations.
When caring for patients, medical practitioners work with many other health
professionals. They may also participate in and undertake research.
Depending on their area of specialisation, medical practitioners may have to
work long, demanding and irregular hours. This may include working on
weekends and at night or being on call 24 hours a day.
Tools and technologies
General practitioners use instruments such as stethoscopes, thermometers,
sphygmomanometers (blood pressure monitors) and reflex hammer. They also
administer medicines, such as vaccinations. They regularly use computers to
maintain client records and consult pharmaceutical manuals.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become a general medical practitioner you must first become a qualified
medical doctor and then specialise in general practice.
These degrees usually take four years to complete. Entry requirements
include completion of a bachelor degree in any discipline. You must also sit
the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT) and attend
an interview at your chosen institution.
On completion of the postgraduate medical degree, you must work in the
public hospital system for one year (internship) to gain general
registration as a medical doctor. To then specialise in general practice,
doctors can apply to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
(RACGP) and/or the Australian College of Rural Remote Medicine (ACRRM) to
undertake further training and ultimately receive fellowship.
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A resident medical officer is a
medical practitioner who works for public hospitals to gain clinical
experience after their first year internship. They work under the
supervision of medical professionals to
diagnose, treat and prevent chronic and life-threatening diseases and
injuries.
Most doctors spend two to three years working as a resident in different
hospital departments, before beginning specialist training.
ANZSCO I & description:
253112: Diagnoses, treats and prevents
human physical and mental disorders and injuries under the supervision
of medical specialists or senior general practitioners. Registration or
licensing is required.
Alternative names: Doctor,
Medical Practitioner, Resident,
RMO
(Source:
Madacs)
Knowledge, skills and
attributes
A resident medical officer needs:
-
the ability to cope with the physical and psychological demands of the job
-
to work well under pressure, and in emergency situations
-
to be able to exercise high ethical standards
-
excellent communication and people skills
-
the ability to make quick decisions and to multitask
-
a high degree of motivation and self-discipline.
Working conditions
Resident medical officers work in hospital departments where they may
give patients intravenous fluids, request diagnostic investigations, and
prescribe and monitor medications for patients on their ward. They may
be required to wear safety clothing and must ensure that their
instruments are kept sterile.
Resident medical officers usually work long shifts, odd hours and
weekends. They work in various departments in hospitals around the
State, usually on a rotation basis.
Tools and technologies
Resident medical officers may use instruments such as stethoscopes,
thermometers, defibrillators and electrocardiogram machines. They also
administer injections, perform catheter insertions and apply plaster
casts. They wear sterile gloves, masks, caps and gowns when performing
procedures. They regularly use computers to maintain client records and
consult pharmaceutical manuals, and use pagers when on duty.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become a resident medical officer, you must first become a qualified
medical doctor.
Postgraduate courses in medicine usually take four years to complete.
Entry requirements include completion of a bachelor degree in any
discipline. You must also sit the Graduate Australian Medical Schools
Admissions Test (GAMSAT) and attend an interview at your chosen
institution.
On completion of the postgraduate medical degree, you must work in the
public hospital system for one year (internship) to gain general
registration as a medical doctor with the Medical Board of Australia.
As a resident medical officer, you may choose to train in a field that
is related to a specialisation in which you wish to work, for example,
emergency medicine or paediatrics, or you may choose to rotate through
several fields of medicine before you decide on a specialist field.
(Source:
St John of God)
Related Jobs or Working
with these Jobs
(Jobs not linked are currently being worked on)
Materials sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [General
Medical Practitioner;
Resident Medical Officer];
Your Career [General
Practitioner;
Resident Medical Officer; ]
