Part of our series What does a ___ actually do?, plain-English guides to the careers students ask us about most.
A family doctor, or GP (general practitioner), is usually the first doctor you see when you are unwell. They work out what is wrong, treat most problems themselves and send you to a specialist when you need one. They look after people of every age, for almost any health worry.
What the job involves
Most of a GP’s work is talking to patients and deciding what to do next. On a typical list of duties:
Speaking to patients in person or by phone to understand their health concerns.
Diagnosing symptoms, prescribing medicines and giving health advice.
Ordering and interpreting tests, then explaining the results and treatment options.
Monitoring patients over time and changing treatment when needed.
Referring patients to specialists for further investigation.
Advising on diet, activity and preventing illness.
Keeping patient records up to date and working with nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals.
Some GPs also make home visits for patients who cannot get to the clinic, and take part in out-of-hours care.
A typical day
A GP’s day is built around appointments. A morning might start with a list of patients booked in short slots: a child with an ear infection, an adult with high blood pressure who needs a medication review, someone worried about a new lump. Between appointments there are test results to read, prescriptions to sign and referral letters to write. Afternoons may include phone consultations, a home visit and a meeting with the practice nurses about patients who need extra support.
The job means constant contact with people. In the US occupational survey, every family physician who responded said they make decisions every day, and almost all said those decisions have very important results.
Where they work
GPs work in family medicine clinics, health centres and primary care practices, and sometimes visit patients at home. In the UK a full-time GP typically works 42 to 50 hours a week. The work can be emotionally demanding, because you support people through difficult news as well as everyday illness.
Is it a good fit for you?
Family medicine is a mix of two interest types. It is Social (helping, advising and caring for people) and Investigative (studying how the body works and figuring out what is wrong). You might enjoy it if you:
Like science, especially biology and chemistry.
Enjoy listening to people and explaining things clearly.
Are comfortable making decisions and taking responsibility for them.
Want variety: no two patients are the same.
How to become a GP
Every route starts with a medical degree. After that, you train as a junior doctor and then specialise in general practice or family medicine.
Stage | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
Before medical school | None: you start medicine straight after school | 4-year bachelor’s degree |
Medical degree | 5 years (4 years for graduate entry) | 4 years |
Early training | 2-year paid foundation programme | Straight into residency |
GP or family medicine training | At least 3 years of GP specialty training | 3-year family medicine residency |
Total after school | About 10 years | About 10 to 11 years |
UK entry requirements: usually 3 A levels or equivalent, including biology and chemistry, plus relevant work experience. Many medical schools also ask you to sit the UCAT admissions test.
In the UAE: medical degrees are typically 6 years. Graduates then complete a one-year internship before they can practise, and need a licence from the health authority where they will work, such as the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi.
Where to study medicine in the GCC
These are some of the region’s medical schools, with details taken from each university’s official programme page.
University | Programme | What the university states |
|---|---|---|
Gulf Medical University, Ajman | Doctor of Medicine (MD) | 6 years; accredited by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation |
Doctor of Medicine (MD) | 6 years; accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation and listed by the WHO | |
UAE University, Al Ain | Doctor of Medicine | 6 years, followed by a one-year internship |
MBBS | 6 years | |
Integrated Medical Program | 6 years, leading to the Cornell University MD | |
Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain | Doctor of Medicine | Accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) |
Top universities worldwide
Looking beyond the Gulf? These are the top eight for medicine in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
Rank | University | Country |
|---|---|---|
1 | Harvard University | United States |
2 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
3 | Stanford University | United States |
4 | Johns Hopkins University | United States |
5 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
6 | UCL | United Kingdom |
7 | Imperial College London | United Kingdom |
8 | University of California, San Francisco | United States |
Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins and UCSF teach medicine as a graduate degree, so you would apply after a bachelor’s. The UK universities on the list take students straight from school. Rankings mostly reflect research reputation, so read them alongside the course details.
What GPs earn
Pay grows a lot with experience and seniority. These ranges come from official government wage statistics, converted to US dollars and rounded:
Country | Lower end | Upper end |
|---|---|---|
United States | $77,000 | $429,000 |
United Kingdom | $51,000 | $95,000 |
The US figures run from the 10th to the 90th percentile of family medicine physicians. The UK figures run from the 20th to the 80th percentile of GPs, because lower UK figures include part-time trainees. No GCC government publishes doctors’ pay by job title, so we don’t show regional figures.
Try it now
Shadow doctors online. A Learning Lab’s Medicine Virtual Internship lets you explore healthcare careers and gain clinical insights.
See a hospital from the inside. A Learning Lab runs medical observership programmes at hospitals in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Practise real clinical skills. UniHawk’s hands-on Prepping for Surgery and CPR workshops cover suturing, hand hygiene and life support.
Check your subjects. If you are choosing IB, A level or other options, keep biology and chemistry.
Frequently asked questions
Is a GP the same as a family doctor?
Yes. “GP” is the usual term in the UK, while the US and many other countries say family doctor or family medicine physician. The job is the same: first-contact care for patients of all ages.
How many years does it take to become a GP?
About 10 years after school in the UK: a 5-year degree, a 2-year foundation programme and at least 3 years of GP training. In the US it is about 10 to 11 years, because you take a bachelor’s degree before medical school.
Which school subjects do I need?
Biology and chemistry are the key ones. UK medical schools usually ask for 3 A levels or equivalent including both. Check each university’s entry requirements for IB, American or CBSE curricula.
Not sure medicine is right for you? The HawkNest career assessment matches your interests and strengths to careers like this one.
More in this series
Sources: O*NET OnLine, Family Medicine Physicians; National Careers Service, GP; NHS Health Careers; American Academy of Family Physicians; Dubai Health Authority; pay from US BLS (May 2025) and UK ONS ASHE (2025), converted at ECB rates of 1 October 2026.
