Abstract
What is good about this book?
This succinct no-frills careers guide does exactly what it says on the tin. Rahman, himself a portfolio GP and a consultant in medical education, ably guides us through the labyrinthine choice of career paths available after successfully emerging from vocational training. He also provides sage advice about the advantages and disadvantages of different GP careers.
This is more of an easily digestible guidebook than a weighty tome, making it easy to navigate and light reading for those who are unsure about which path to aim for in the short or long term. It includes up-to-date information about salaries, with transparency about specific remuneration for different contracts. Your responsibilities and, if relevant, those of your employer are clarified for different kinds of GP posts. Useful considerations such as the higher risk of litigation in out-of-hours work are also highlighted.
The opening chapter provides a concise synopsis of these paths, and the view presented is one of well-informed realism, acknowledging that most newly qualified GPs will start out in a freelance capacity. Detailed chapters follow, including one covering alternative GP careers, broadening the mind to other options you may not have considered. These include becoming a cruise ship doctor and undertaking international and humanitarian work, with some useful links to further sources of information. The section on becoming a salaried GP lays out the model British Medical Association (BMA) contract for salaried GPs, in addition to some invaluable information on job plans.
Most useful are the sections on becoming a locum GP and GP partner. Rahman encourages readers to think about the more burdensome aspects of partnership as well as the obvious rewards. He considers practical tools to ensure that you are financially savvy before going into a partnership, with a full discussion of partnership agreements and parity—helping readers make sense of what any offer may include.
If you are thinking of becoming (or by default becoming) a locum or freelance GP, this guide offers practical advice. The inevitable reality is that with flexibility comes uncertainty, and a variable income can go down as well as up. With revalidation in the pipeline, the difficulties with engaging in continued professional development (CPD) make for sober thinking, along with the lack of other benefits. Usefully, Rahman highlights the documents one is required to have and the factors to consider in deciding whether to go with an agency or go it alone. If it's the latter, the book helpfully includes considerations such as sample invoices and terms and conditions and instructions to those who need them to make sense of becoming self-employed in terms of tax and pensions and rate setting. An additional useful directory of resources provides a good starting point to search for job vacancies and locum agencies.
Emerging from the warm bosom of vocational training into the job market can be daunting, but ultimately, I feel more prepared and confident about the future year after reading this book, especially with respect to tax and other paperwork. I would particularly recommend this book as a very useful resource for those who are likely to become a locum GP after completing their specialist training.
What is bad about this book?
I have few negative things to say about this book; other than that the section on medico-legal risk provided by (and advertising) the Medical Protection Society is quite generic and, I feel, slightly incongruously pads out the book. Also, the book's publication was roughly contemporaneous with announcements on GP commissioning so this is not covered. At 68 pages, the book is far from substantial and the binding far from robust. Given this and its price of £11.99, some may feel that this represents poor value for money.
In conclusion, this book is by no means an exhaustive guide but instead a concise and valuable resource to dip into. Dr Rahman acknowledges that there are many possible career options in general practice additional to those on which the book focuses. However, if you're unsure where to start, reach for this modest and practical volume.