The GP portfolio career for you

We are at a time of GP unemployment, GP trainees unsure whether they can get a substantive role, and burnout continuing to be prevalent throughout the profession.

One solution many GPs are finding to these problems is pursuing a portfolio career. The number of potential roles that GPs can take to supplement their routine work is endless. But we have focused on 16 potential options that cover all aspects of a GP’s skillset.

Our dedicated home page showcases these 16 articles, which details the qualifications necessary, the time required, the pay and the positives and negatives of each career.

For example, if you are into sports, you can find a role providing care for elite sportspeople, like Dr Andrew Murray does for golfers. Or potentially work as a crowd doctor, helping fans who encounter medical difficulties during the football or the rugby, as Dr Patrick Ryder has done in his career.

If you want to provide care to vulnerable populations, you might consider a role supporting homeless patients like Dr Pia Martinus, or working in a prison, like Dr Anna Triggle.

If you enjoy your travel, or have a sense of adventure, Dr Ellen Welch has a number of tips for you, having been a ship physician, a repatriation doctor and an expedition doctor. Or you may want to experience travel and adventure through a role in the army, as Dr Dave Triska has done.

For those with an entrepreneurial flair, you may think about running a locums chamber like Dr Louise Taylor, or becoming a PCN clinical director, like Dr Sarit Ghosh.

If you want to develop a specialism, Dr Anna Triggle has tips on becoming a GP with an extended role – in her case, dermatology – and Dr Julie Barker provides information on working in end-of-life care.

There are some who might not mind attracting the ire of their peers, and may look to work in the media – like Pulse’s very own clinical adviser Dr Keith Hopcroft – or even work as a CQC clinical advisor. And those with a more cerebral bent might wish to take up a career in academia, like Professor Tony Avery, or a forensic physician, as Dr Sheila Paul did.

Of course, these are a small sample of the total number of portfolio careers out there,, but they might give you some inspiration.

And if you are still unsure, maybe our not-so-scientific quiz can help you decide what you want to be.

This has been launched as part of the new Pulse Careers platform, which caters for GP trainees, newly qualified GPs and those considering the next stage of their careers.

If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see on Pulse Careers – or if you would like to write for us – contact Pulse editor-in-chief Jaimie Kaffash at [email protected].