This week marks five years since I joined the UK GP register, and looking back, it remains one of the most defining decisions of my life.
Not just professionally.
Not just financially.
But because of the life it made possible.
My UK GP register journey gave me something most careers rarely offer: flexibility, perspective, and the space to build a life both within and beyond medicine.
And five years later, I would still make the same decision.
Why General Practice Changed My Life
Choosing general practice gave me something far deeper than a career path.
It gave me a front-row seat to life itself.
From cradle to grave.
From newborn checks to end-of-life conversations.
From reassuring anxious parents in clinic to sitting in the home of an elderly patient, listening to stories from a life fully lived.
Those moments stay with you.
There is something deeply grounding about a 90-year-old patient showing you photographs of themselves in their 20s, full of energy, possibility, and dreams, while reflecting on decades of life experience.
It changes the way you think.
About health.
About money.
About time.
And perhaps most importantly, about what truly matters.
The Flexibility That General Practice Offers
One of the best decisions I made during my UK GP register journey was moving to Cornwall for my postgraduate training.
To this day, it remains one of the best choices I have made.
I often joked that I moved there to learn how to surf.
Truthfully, I never quite mastered that.
However, I did learn how to swim and bodyboard well enough to stay afloat, and honestly, I will take that.
More importantly, I built invaluable friendships and relationships that have lasted far beyond training.
There are not many medical programmes where teaching days can end on a beach.
That kind of balance stays with you.
More Than Medicine: The Gift of Optionality
Perhaps the greatest gift general practice gave me was optionality.
Even as a registrar, I began to explore beyond the consulting room.
I developed interests in:
- health policy
- population health
- medical education
- financial education for doctors
- long-term resilience beyond clinical work
However, that journey also required learning how money actually works, from pensions to investing decisions.
For example, many doctors still struggle with understanding how pensions fit into their overall financial plan. If that’s something you’ve ever questioned, this breakdown makes it simple.
Similarly, decisions around where to invest (whether through pensions or ISAs) can significantly shape long-term outcomes. This guide compares both clearly.
That only became possible because of the structure general practice gave me.
The ability to create space beyond the day job changed everything.
If this resonates, you may also enjoy this related read on building resilience and optionality as a doctor.
Why Being a GP Still Matters
I may not spend as many days in clinical practice as I once did.
However, I do not take the title lightly.
Being a doctor is a privilege.
Being a GP is an honour.
To care for people across their entire lives.
To be trusted in moments that truly matter.
To support patients through fear, uncertainty, hope, and healing.
Public perception may have shifted in recent years.
And yes, the pressures in primary care are very real.
However, one truth remains unchanged:
Primary care is still the backbone of the healthcare system.
GPs continue to hold together far more than most people realise.
What Five Years Has Taught Me
Five years on, I am deeply grateful for this path.
General practice taught me far more than medicine.
It taught me perspective.
When you witness the full spectrum of life up close, you begin to reassess your own priorities.
You think differently about:
- time
- family
- health
- wealth
- legacy
That perspective has influenced not only how I work, but how I live.
A Full Circle Moment
Next week, I will be back in Cornwall teaching at GP VTS again.
This will be a lecture I have now delivered annually for the past three years.
And honestly, it feels like a full-circle moment.
To return not just as a trainee, but as someone now teaching within the same system that helped shape me — there is something deeply meaningful about that.
One Decision That Changed Everything
If I had the chance to go back 10 years and choose again, I would not get everything right.
There are certainly things I would do differently.
But one thing I know for sure:
I would still choose general practice.
Without hesitation.
Because beyond the title, beyond the income, and beyond the profession, it gave me a life I value deeply.
Take the MedScan: Your Financial Check-Up
Just as medicine values early diagnosis, your finances deserve the same level of attention.
The MedScan is a financial diagnostic designed specifically for doctors, helping you identify the gaps, spot the risks, and uncover opportunities hiding in plain sight.
A few minutes of clarity today could save years of financial stress tomorrow.
One Question for You
If you could go back 5–10 years, What is one decision you made that changed the trajectory of your life?