Did you know??
There were 68,200 General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers in 2020. The number of workers:
- grew strongly over the past 5 years
- is expected to grow very strongly over the next five years
- is likely to reach 78,600 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment Snapshot
- Size: This is a very large occupation.
- Location: General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers work in many regions of Australia.
- Industries: Most work in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $2,459 per week (very high compared to the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (76%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 46 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 42 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 46% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
A bachelor degree in medicine followed by a one year internship is needed before you can work as a Resident Medical Officer. It is common to work as a Resident Medical Officer for 1-3 years before applying for a fellowship to become a General Practitioner through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners or the Australian College of Rural Remote Medicine.
Registration with the Medical Board of Australia is required.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
Tasks
- Conducts examinations and questions patients to determine the nature of disorders and illnesses, and records patients’ medical information.
- Orders laboratory tests, x-rays and other diagnostic procedures, and interprets findings to assist in diagnosis.
- Provides overall care for patients, and prescribes and administers treatments, medications and other remedial measures.
- Monitors patients’ progress and response to treatment.
- Advises on diet, exercise and other habits which aid prevention and treatment of disease and disorders.
- Refers patients to, and exchanges medical information with, specialist medical practitioners.
- Reports births, deaths and notifiable diseases to government authorities.
- Arranges the admission of patients to hospitals.
