4.1 GP job satisfaction

More than seven in 10 (73%) RACGP Fellows reported they are very satisfied or moderately satisfied with being a GP overall.[3] Similarly, 76% of RACGP members reported that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their career as a GP.⁴¹

GPs derive their greatest levels of professional satisfaction from the variety in their work, support from their colleagues and fellow workers, physical working conditions, and freedom to choose their own method of working (Figure 36).

More than three in five (63%) GPs reported dissatisfaction with billing and regulatory requirements, with remuneration (47%) and recognition for their work (35%) also highlighted as areas of dissatisfaction (Figure 36). These areas are reflected in the highest-priority health policy issue on which GPs want the government to focus: Medicare rebates and funding reform (see Section 1.2).

More than half of GPs surveyed said they would recommend general practice as a career to their junior colleagues. However, when asked if their perspective has changed, almost half (48%) indicated they are less likely to recommend a career in general practice now than they were 10 years ago (Figure 37).

Remuneration, recognition and billing requirements attract the lowest levels of satisfaction among those who would not recommend general practice as a career.³