Recently, I attended a karaoke night with my graduate friends from the North Dublin City GP Training Scheme. The establishment cut off the machines at 1am but our exclusively female crew continued with acapella tunes for at least another hour. Predictably, we bounced between the traditional staples of karaoke: songs about heartache and ‘girl power’ anthems. 

There was a fervour and seriousness in our voices, even those of the happily married members of our group. One year out of training and we’re free to do what we want… but what does that look like? Somewhere between ‘Independent Ladies’ and ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ there’s the plain old ‘Nine to Five’.

These early years trying to find your place in the world can be so tough and although some of our group have found practices where they have just clicked, few people have signed up to anything long-term. I thought to myself: “Isn’t looking for love a lot like looking for locum work?” 

Although we all dream of finding ‘the one’, most of us are playing the field with a couple of different jobs and fear settling down too soon. To improve our odds of finding an eligible practice, perhaps we should apply the rules of dating; after all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single GP in possession of a large GMS list must be in want of a partner.

Those first, timid steps into post-training life usually involve working a few sessions at a ‘safe practice’; one where you worked as a registrar or one that is affiliated with your scheme. This is like the ‘safe date’; you don’t find them that attractive but you know they like you. I feel a little bit sorry for patients at these practices; they get a huge turnover of doctors with commitment issues.

The consultation usually starts with a muttered grumble about never seeing the same doctor twice and then if the consult has gone well, you might hear that dreaded question: “Will you be my new doctor now?” God bless those patients, they know exactly what to say to make a commitment-phobic doctor want to leave the room screaming. To the skittish GP, this question triggers an avalanche of fearful thoughts: “What happened to your last doctor? Why did they leave?” If this GP happens to be a little insecure, a second wave of fear then engulfs them: “Why do you like me? It’s because I’m easy isn’t it? I’m being too lenient with antibiotics.” 

What the patient doesn’t see is that it’s a really big deal to be someone’s doctor; it’s a lifetime role that can have significance to a family for generations. It’s a beautiful thing but it’s too difficult a subject to address on a first date.

Once the newly establishing GP has tucked a few sessions under their belt, their focus can be switched to finding that ‘dream practice’. Once again, like dating, there are different ways of initiating contact; you might be set up by a mutual friend or perhaps you might approach an attractive practice directly. There are even dodgy classifieds: “Looking for Locums and maybe more”. These are typically scant on detail but contain a contact number and hint at a tempting sum of money.

To save time, many newly establishing GPs court a number of practices simultaneously, a process not to be undertaken lightly. There are any number of difficulties you can get into when you are not seeing a practice exclusively, especially if your practices don’t know about each other. Forgetting where to file prescriptions, where the stationery is kept or getting the admin staff’s names wrong can make a practice feel less special. What if you’re caught in the act, for example, at the other practice’s Christmas party? Dancing with them, having fun… how is that going to make your practice feel?

Living a double life can be stressful. Remember, honesty is the best policy. Just be open and tell them you’re seeing other practices, but prepare yourself to answer awkward questions such as “What’s the other practice like? Are their offices prettier? How do they manage their phone calls and how long are their appointments?” Discretion is key.

Generally you can afford to be picky; there have never been so many great options for newly establishing GPs. You can have multicultural diversity, urban charm or a friendly country practice with a bit of road frontage. You could even decide to go solo or join in with the polygamy of an entire primary care team.

As with dating, there is a danger of over-exposure; with endless choice you can become fearful of missing out. What if a better practice is just one locum gig away? Do some early screening, be adventurous and then discover if the chemistry is sustainable. 

No practice is perfect, but there is a practice out there that is perfect for you, and if it proves to be less perfect as time moves on… just remember, no one regrets having a prenup!