Academic GP - all you need to know

Dr Tony Avery is a GP, and professor of primary health care and former dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham. He explains what it takes to have a portfolio career in university-based teaching and research

How do I get into the role (including necessary qualifications)?

To get into teaching roles it’s worth contacting your local medical school, and/or finding out whether you can help with training any medical students allocated to the general practice(s) you work in.

To take on more substantive teaching roles it is helpful to have additional training in teaching and learning; many GPs working in universities will have undertaken a qualification with the Advance HE and some will have a master’s degree in medical education.

On the research front, it is also worth contacting your local medical school to see whether they have any opportunities available. Sometimes it can help to ‘dip your toe in the water’ by getting involved on a voluntary basis in any studies that you may find interesting. It is not uncommon for this to then lead onto greater opportunities.

One of the best ways to get into research is to look for opportunities during GP training, such as Academic Clinical Fellowship programmes which can spread the standard three-year GP training scheme over four years to create a year for academic training.

GPs might also consider a NIHR In Practice Fellowship, which provides funding for two years of half-time training and is suitable for newly qualified GPs, or experienced GPs, wishing to develop a research career.

To progress with a research-focused portfolio career it is helpful to do a master’s degree, and almost essential to do a higher degree (usually a PhD, but sometimes a doctorate of medicine); opportunities for funding for a PhD are available through NIHR or charities such as Wellcome. There are also a range of postdoctoral fellowships available.

Taking either the teaching or research route there are opportunities for substantive roles at universities, including running education programmes, undertaking research and leading academic units.

How much does it pay?

In the early stages of a substantive career in academic general practice, pay for the academic component is sometimes lower than for the service component (which is usually arranged separately from the academic work), and this is particularly the case for posts that are paid on the clinical lecturer salary scale. But, in the early stages of an academic career, it is worth noting that you are receiving a lot of additional training.

After several years in post, successful academic GPs can earn more than the average full-time GP partner. Part-time teaching roles in universities are often paid on a ‘consultant equivalent’ scale (such as the pay scale used for consultants on the ‘pre-2003’ contract) but is commonly in the range of what a salaried GP would earn per session.

Salaries for most senior academic GPs in England are paid on the consultant salary scale (equivalent consultants on the ‘2003 contract’) which is currently in the region of £105,000 (at the start) to £139,000 (after 14 years). At this level, you can also be paid for additional sessions’ (over and above the standard 10) and a minority (in England and Wales) receive Clinical Impact Awards, which can boost salary further.

How much time do I need to devote to it?

It can be anything from one to two sessions per week up to full time – noting that nearly all academic GPs will do some clinical work. Many of the most successful academic GPs work well over full-time hours (or above their part-time hours for those on ‘part-time’ contracts).

What’s good about the job?

Teaching and supporting bright medical students and junior colleagues is stimulating, as is doing intellectually stimulating research to answer important questions for the NHS. What’s more, taking on leadership roles that can make a real difference locally, regionally or nationally is rewarding.

What’s bad about the job?

To be successful, most academic GPs work long hours, which is a drawback. While there are numerous opportunities to develop a career in academic general practice, the career path is not always straightforward; we have highlighted some to the challenges in a recent BJGP article.

Advice from the MDDUS

Delivering training or teaching can be so rewarding. As there’s no patient contact, indemnity typically isn’t required — but if you’re returning to practice or working in a hybrid role, we can support you.

Click here to see all the other portfolio careers in this series