A general practitioner (GP), or family doctor, is a doctor who knows how to treat many different health problems across all age groups, with a focus on providing whole-patient primary medical care.
GPs are specialists in family health. Among other things, GPs can give immunisations, check on your children’s health and development, treat cuts and other minor injuries, and make referrals to specialists.
Think of your GP as the first port of call when anyone in your family has a health problem. It's important to find a GP that you and your children feel comfortable with, so that you can get to know each other and talk openly. A GP who can rely on detailed medical histories can make a diagnosis much more easily and help prevent problems occurring.
In Australia, GPs complete an undergraduate medical degree and internship, followed by a three-year Australian General Practice Training Program, leading to a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).
Content funded by NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care