GP Career Stories
Here are a selection of stories from GPs and GP Trainees working in Northern Ireland. You can use the drop down menu to filter results
Categories
- All GP Stories
- GP Academic Research Training Scheme (GPARTS)
- GP Improvement and Crisis Response Team
- GP Partner
- GP Trainer
- GP Training in Northern Ireland
- GP appraiser
- Induction and Refresher Scheme
- International Medical Graduate
- Lifestyle Medicine
- MSK Medicine
- Medical Education
- Medical Leadership
- Prison Medicine
- Private GP
- Rural GP
- Salaried GP
- Sessional GP
Michael Kingsley
I did medical school in Southampton, but I’m originally from Dublin, so after finishing I thought I’d come to Northern Ireland for my F1/F2 years to stay in the NHS but also be close to home. I started GP training in Northern Ireland where I almost completed the first year before I flew off to Philadelphia in the USA to start training in a Residency in Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania. I loved my time training and working in America, and I learned a great deal while I was there. While there I also completed a certificate programme in healthcare leadership and quality improvement, which has given me a passion for improving the systems we provide care through. Despite the great experiences there, after 3 years of training and 2 years of working I moved back to NI with my young family, not quite knowing what work would look like when we got here.
Laurence Dorman
I am the 4th generation of GPs in my family and growing up my Father’s practice joined onto his surgery. Watching him and witnessing his kindness made me want to become a GP.
Be inquisitive! As a locum I kept a book of “interesting patients” with their details (best done anonymously now) but it enabled me to look them up to see how their care developed and if some of my earlier decisions were accurate. Always look to improve on your networking! Previously, “networking” had a bad reputation but it is very important if you have particular interests you wish to pursue and want advice from other colleagues to help you with them.
Paul Molloy
I became a GP because I honestly liked a bit of everything but not too much of any one thing. I always liked the idea of practicing in my locality, where I grew up, with people I knew. I would say I’m a Derry man first and Irish second, so the idea of giving back to my community always appealed to me.
Throughout my early career in GP, I was always very interested in developing my clinical skills. I think it’s a good idea for the first 5 years as a GP to just focus on the job, getting to know your patients and the mechanics of the role.
I find students exhilarating. They make you think about your own day to day practice and keep you on your toes.
Gilles Mangard
I am from Bordeaux and had my own GP practice for 30 years but was unhappy with the French system, in part due to the large number of routine tasks. I needed to do the Induction Scheme as I had never worked in the NHS before and did my GP training in France. It was very challenging to do the MCQ tests and also the simulated surgery as I had practiced a different style of medicine in France.
Saniya Zahid
I got interested in rural GP practice while working as a physician assistant in Toronto, and my journey to train as a GP brought me to Northern Ireland. While filling in my application and ranking my choices, I had considered a few things such as weather, cost of living, access to an international airport, choice of hospital rotations, trainee satisfaction as per GMC survey, population demographics and believe it or not, google guide reviews by people who had visited the area. Considering all these factors, Western Trust fulfilled most of my requirements and Fermanagh looked extremely beautiful in pictures!
Saffa Ilyas
I chose general practice for several reasons, among those were a good work-life balance and a relatively short training programme with an eighteen months hospital placement. I opted for LTFT (less than full time) to add ease to my life and time for kids. In short, the main reason I chose general practice was because, once trained, there is a plethora of opportunities to choose from. GP training keeps the options open for future. I am targeting GP with special interest in Women’s health post CCT.
Eve Gilmore
Initially I had concerns that working for Practices in ‘crisis’ would mean constantly working in chaos but actually with the team already providing support to the Practices, and with Lisa coordinating our deployment to them, our work is well regulated and very rewarding. We also benefit from the statutory rights of employment, inclusion in the HSC pension and paid study leave/PDP sessions.
Rachel McKeogh
I joined the GPICR team in February 2019 directly after finishing my GP training. At this point the role was very new and I was unsure what to expect from it. Having only just completed my GP training I initially thought I might not have sufficient experience to help ‘practices in difficulty’ and I was apprehensive. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and I have settled really well into this role.
Christopher Dorman
Christopher shares his experience of moving from sessional work to partnership. He is also involed in both under grad and post grad education and has recently moved into a leadership role at Federation level.
Daniel Butler
Daniel shares his experience of being involved in the GP academic research training scheme and undertaking an out of programme research with the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network.
Richard Mayne
Richard shares his experience of being a salaried GP with the GP Improvement and Crisis Response Team, developing a specialist interest in MSK medicine and studying for a certificate in Primary Care Leadership.
Miriam Dolan
Miriam shares her experience of moving to Northern Ireland, her passion for Rural Medicine in Fermanagh and her involvement in undergraduate and post-graduate medical education .
Stephen Harte
Stephen shares his experience of being involved in undergraduate and post-graduate medical education and his role as an executive coach and mentor.
Richard Kirk
Richard shares his experience of balancing partnership and his role as a Clinical Director in Prison Healthcare. He shares his experiences of looking after people who struggle to access care and how his role in clinical leadership has opened doors nationally and internationally.
Angela McCann
Angela shares her experience of returning to Northern Ireland from the UK. She shares her experiences of returning with and without the returners scheme, working abroad and how she developed a passion for lifestyle medicine.
Damilola Akinrinsola
Damilola shares her experience of coming to Northern Ireland as an IMG from Nigeria. She shares her experiences of choosing GP and tips on getting to know Northern Irish culture.