Portfolio careers have been a hot topic in medicine for some time, but there has been little structured career support beyond informal conversations with more senior colleagues, and little practical guidance available, until now!
This book has been specifically produced for anyone considering a portfolio career as a GP. Written by a GP with multiple strands to her career, this book will help by:
describing the benefits (and challenges) of a portfolio career - improved work-life balance and greater flexibility
assessing your existing interests, skills and expertise - what options will work best for you
setting you up for career success - listing the steps you need to take to achieve your goals
offering practical advice on crucial administrative matters - from financial and legal aspects to time management and balancing workload
defining the range of portfolio opportunities that exist - there really is something for everyone!
The book also includes a broad range of stories from GPs who have developed amazing portfolio careers encompassing medical education, cruise ship medicine, media contributor, sports medicine, healthcare advocacy, and many others.
Whether you are just starting out as a GP trainee or are a senior GP looking to branch out, the book offers invaluable practical advice for all readers looking to avoid burnout, pursue other career avenues and achieve a better balance in their working life.
Why I wrote this book: my story
Acknowledgements
1: Introduction
1.1 What is a portfolio career?
1.2 Why might it be good to consider a portfolio career?
1.3 What challenges might you face when creating a portfolio career?
1.4 Why are portfolio careers important now?
1.5 Traditional GP roles and the portfolio career
1.6 How this book can help you
2: Planning for a portfolio career
2.1 The importance of career development in medicine
2.2 Are you ready for a portfolio career?
2.3 The first steps to developing your career
2.4 The importance of assessing your interests, skills, qualities and achievements
2.5 Understanding how time and the wider environment impact your career
3: Setting yourself up for career success
3.1 Defining what career success looks like to you
3.2 How can you achieve career success?
3.3 How to assess your qualifications and work experience
3.4 Self-help tools for successful career planning and development
3.5 Identifying what additional support and (social) skills you need to stand out
3.6 How your organisation can help you
4: A practical template for creating your career
4.1 Categorising your portfolio
4.2 How to actually get started, including some financial and legal aspects to consider
4.3 Time management and balancing workload (including how to stay sane!)
4.4 Goal setting
5: Evaluating (and re-evaluating) your career
5.1 The importance of evaluating your career
5.2 How to accurately evaluate your career
5.3 Diversifying as a more experienced GP
6: What is possible - learning from current portfolio GPs Personal stories
6.1 Dr Safiya Virji: medical education and leadership
6.2 Dr Aman Amir: GP partner, university lecturer, magistrate and author
6.3 Dr Daniel Grace: expedition medicine
6.4 Dr Ellen Welch: remote working, medical journalism and cruise ship doctor
6.5 Dr Talha Sami: author, media contributor and content creator
6.6 Dr Julie Hammond: healthcare advocacy, innovation and aesthetic medicine
Interviews
6.7 Dr Nigel Giam: medical education and entrepreneurialism - interviewed by Cansu Ozdemir
6.8 Dr Lee David: cognitive behavioural therapy, author - interviewed by Dr Vanessa Otti
6.9 Dr Henrietta Hughes: giving patients a voice - interviewed by Manas Soni
6.10 Dr Usman Sajjad: sports medicine - interviewed by Ahmed Al-Wizni
6.11 Dr Lavan Baskaran: GP partner, private GP, content creator and medical advisor - interviewed by Dr Ahmed Moussa
6.12 Dame Clare Gerada: leadership - interviewed by Dr Pavan Marwaha
6.13 Dr Nicola Elliott: medical education, medical officer, diving medical referee - interviewed by Dr Gireesha Verma
6.14 Dr Tara George: out-of-hours, board member, RCGP advisor, podcaster - interviewed by Dr Gireesha Verma
