Not just a GP

I've noticed a disturbing trend lately among doctors and medical students-it has become fashionable to ridicule general practice. Ask any medical student whether they've considered becoming a general practitioner (GP), and most will dismiss it as dull and irrelevant. But ironically it is where most students are headed-there were 841 applications in August 2005 to the general practice vocational training scheme in London alone1. And that's nothing to be ashamed of despite what some senior doctors may make you think.

If anyone should be ashamed it's the consultants who look down at GPs as overpaid and knowing little medicine. Some of their comments are saddening and offensive-here's an example. My colleague was in clinic with a consultant in orthopaedics, who asked her what she would like to specialise in. When she told him that she …