A Guide to CV and Cover Letter Drafting for General Practitioner Jobs in Australia

Applying for General Practitioner Jobs in Australia

Australia is one of the best countries in which a general practitioner can hope to practise. The primary healthcare system is well developed and organised, infrastructure and technology modern, clinics well resourced and equipped and there is a strong demand throughout the country for qualified general practitioners (GPs) with qualifications eligible for the expedited pathway to registration. This creates a fast track entry system into Australian medicine but increases competition for jobs, particularly those in desirable locations.

It is therefore incumbent upon each candidate to present their application for practice opportunities in the most favourable light highlighting important information and providing a detailed overview of scope of practice, skills and interests. Listing a series of qualifications and positions held is not sufficient to pique the interest of the owners of the medical practices and the other GPs who are the key decision makers in the recruitment process.

Structuring Your CV and Cover Letter for Successful GP Job Applications in Australia

Each application for a job as a GP commences with the submission of a CV and cover letter. The former is a concise professional history and the latter an introduction to that history with an indication of motivation for seeking the position. The aim of both documents is to secure a positive impression and invitation for interview where the opportunity and its suitability may be better assessed.

Clarity, structure, and relevance are vital for both documents. Template documents should be drafted and edited appropriately for each job application, with consideration to the skills and attributes sought by the employer. The job description should be read thoroughly with an eye for any specialist skills or interests which are required.

Some clinics may seek GPs with experience in rural medical environments where extensive experience in managing patients at home without hospital referral is crucial whilst others may require ability to perform minor operative procedures. Develop some insight into your own motivations for seeking the job and set these out.

CV Drafting

1: Personal Details

This is the starting point in all CVs and should include the following information:

• full name
• current address
• telephone number ( a mobile number is usually best for accessibility)
• email address
• date of birth (important when a visa is required to take up the job)
• nationality (relevant to prove eligibility to work or need for a visa) 
• marital status and number of dependents (again, important when a relocation, and especially an international one, is being considered as there are cost implications)

2: Professional Summary

This is an optional section which can be placed before or after the personal details section and should consist of a brief summary of your qualifications, relevant experience, skills and career goals. You may wish to emphasise special interests in relevant fields such as chronic disease management, child health, emergency medicine or skin cancer and aims you have to further develop your capabilities.

3: Qualifications

Qualifications should be listed in chronological order with the date of award of the qualification and the name of the awarding organisation. This must include medical degree, fellowship or board certification in general practice and any additional qualifications including diplomas in specialist fields such as paediatrics, obstetrics. emergency medicine and anaesthesia.

The specialist Australian qualifications in general practice are the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, abbreviated to FRACGP and the Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, abbreviated to FACRRM. Equivalent international qualifications should be listed.

4: Education

This can be listed as a separate section or combined with the qualifications section. It should list education since leaving school in chronological order detailing the institution attended, program of study and the dates of attendance. Undergraduate and post graduate medical education should be listed including residency or vocational training programs in general practice and fellowship or enhanced special training afterwards.

5: Professional Registration

Details of current professional registration should list the category of registration (specialist or general), the regulatory authority and dates of obtaining registration and its expiry or renewal date.

Registration with multiple national, state or provincial regulators should be included indicating if these are active or inactive.

Registration status with the Australian Medical Board and  Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) should be mentioned (specialist, general or limited). If the application is incomplete, state its current status and anticipated completion date and if not yet started detail the basis for assumed eligibility.

6: Practice Experience

List all positions held since graduation from medical school in reverse chronological order. For each position include the following information:

• job title
• employer
• dates of employment
• type of general practice (private billing, mixed billing, or bulk billing; corporate or independent; metropolitan or rural).
• key responsibilities and achievements for recent positions. Describe the patient demographic served, clinical programmes managed, services developed and any additional responsibilities.

7. Procedural Skills

The unique feature of the standard CV for Australian medical job applications is the emphasis on procedural competencies. It is usual, and often a requirement, to have a section of the CV dedicated to procedures and to list the procedures which one can perform independently and those which one can perform with assistance.

Standard procures which can be listed are the usual and obvious ones such as arterial blood sampling, urinary catheterisation, eye and ear irrigation, wound dressing, suturing, cutaneous biopsies, intramuscular injections and venipuncture. However if you are competent in more advanced surgical or anaesthetic procedures, these can certainly be listed and may be relevant in rural general medical practice.

8. Special Interests

Any skills or interests in addition to bread and butter general practice should be listed with an emphasis on any skills or interests required for the position. Examples you may wish to mention include:

• Telehealth consultations
• Chronic Disease Management
• Sports Medicine
• Dermatology
• Aesthetic Medicine
• Travel Medicine
• Proficiency with practice software (e.g., Best Practice, MedicalDirector).

Cover Letter Drafting

The cover letter accompanies the CV throughout the job application process. Its purpose is to introduce the job application to the employer with a summary of the candidate's ability to meet or exceed the eligibility requirements of the job and outline his or her motivations for seeking it. It should convey both interest and enthusiasm for the position.

The cover letter should be clear and concise and no longer than a single page. It should be addressed to the person who is managing the recruitment process. This is usually indicated on the job advert but if no individual is named it can be addressed to the senior GP or practice manager. The letter should be factual and devoid of cliches or marketing phrases. Ensure that the cover letter is drafted as a template which can be edited appropriately for each job application reflecting the nuances of each job and the attributes sought.

Common Pitfalls in GP Applications

The failure of a job application is a disappointment but often self inflicted. By far the most common reason for unsuccessful job applications is the simple inability to meet the eligibility requirements of the job. The lack of suitable qualifications, experience or skills and ineligibility for the appropriate professional license are red lines, beyond which the application cannot progress. But many GPs ignore this and apply for these jobs anyway. Perhaps they think the employer will waive some the requirements they do not meet or they blindly apply for all jobs with the right job title. 

Such applications are an irritant to the employer who must waste time and resources processing the rejections. They also convey a lack of professionalism on the part of the GP and should be avoided out of consideration to others and one's own self image.

Generic applications are other frequent time wasters which are often rejected or at best attract lack luster interest from employers. It is astounding that many GPs submit identical CVs and cover letters for multiple job applications making no modifications to address the requirements and features of each position. This suggests a lack of interest and attention to detail which may be interpreted as a lack of professionalism.

Poor CV and cover letter presentation is inexcusable but still fairly common. Dense formatting, unprofessional fonts, inappropriate use of bold lettering, underlines, italics or spelling errors undermine credibility. Use the common professional fonts and simple formatting avoiding tables and images. This is easier to navigate and works better with data base AI and search engines which are increasingly used to process applications.

Avoid the use of cliches, buzzwords and marketing phrases such as "experienced in all aspects of general practice” and "highly motivated," "results-driven," and "good communication skills". These phrases do little to distinguish you and suggest laziness or a lack of imagination in expressing yourself. Provide concrete examples.

Summary

Success in the Australian GP jobs market starts with drafting a CV and cover letter which provide a favourable first impression, attract employer interest and succeed in securing a job interview.

These documents must be accurately reflective of your capabilities, qualifications and experience and their relevance to the jobs for which you are applying. They should also indicate  your motivations for seeking the job and give an indication of your long term career goals.

Ideally the CV and cover letter should be drafted and stored as modifiable templates which can be quickly edited for each job application. Remember the following:

• use simple professional formatting
• address key criteria listed in the job advert or description
• avoid buzz words and vague phrases
• edit and adapt the documents for each application.

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