GP

To become a GP you'll need to complete:

• a degree recognised by the General Medical Council which takes 5 years
• a foundation course of general training which takes 2 years
• general practice specialist training which takes 3 years

If you already have a degree in a science subject, you could do a postgraduate degree in medicine which takes 4 years.

If you do not have any science qualifications, you might be able to do a degree in medicine which takes 6 years and includes a pre-medical year.

Entry tests

When you apply for a course in medicine, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) .

You'll be tested on skills like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.

Work experience

Medical schools will also expect you to have some paid or voluntary work experience in healthcare .

You can get information on how to get medical work experience from the British Medical Association .

You could also use Observe GP which is a free online alternative to work experience created by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• at least 5 GCSEs grades 9 to 7 (A* or A), including English maths and sciences

• 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
• University Clinical Aptitude Test|https://www.ucat.ac.uk/

You might be able to do a doctor degree apprenticeship which will take around 5 years to complete.

The apprenticeship is recognised by the General Medical Council .

You could then progress to the foundation course of general training before completing the specialist training in general practice.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

Registrations

after your training you'll need to join the General Medical Council GP Register, and apply for a licence to practise as a doctor

Career Tips

The General Medical Council has a guide on what it means to be a good doctor. You might find this useful  when preparing for medical school interviews.

You can use online resources to find out more about the types of interviews you can expect to get into for medical school.

Professional and Industry Bodies

You could join the British Medical Association  for professional development and training opportunities.

Further Information

You can find out more about becoming a GP from Health Careers and the Royal College of General Practitioners .

In this role you could:

• give general health advice to patients in person or on the phone
• diagnose patients' symptoms and refer to specialist consultants if needed
• prescribe medicines, recommend treatments and carry out minor surgery
• do research and help to train other healthcare professionals
• organise and lead clinics for specific groups of patients or medical conditions

You could work at a GP practice, at a health centre or at a client's home.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.