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Michael

Michael’s move to Australia began as a working holiday as a GP, inspired by other GPs from England.

Michael’s journey to Australia started in 2018, while his wife completed a fellowship. After returning home, they decided to make Australia their permanent home in 2022.

Beyond his career as a GP, Michael has created a YouTube channel, GP on the Move, dedicated to helping GPs navigate work and life. For tips and advice, you can follow him on YouTube at @GPONTHEMOVE. One of his recent videos, Reasons to Move to Australia, provides valuable insights for those considering the move.

 

 

Why did you decide to come to Australia?

When we first came to Australia, a lot of GPs were coming over from England just for a year just to see what it’s like and have a bit of a working holiday. We very quickly realised that working Australia and living in Australia was a pretty amazing experience and decided to stay.

What was the most challenging part of the move?

There is a lot of logistics involved in moving from England to Australia. Even though we didn’t have to do any exams to come over the whole process was quite lengthy and complicated and we were actually really happy to have Alecto there to help us out with the process.

What were the most helpful things our team did to help you?

I remember getting a timeline which helped set expectations about how long the process will take. It was also great having a chat with them and finding out what it’s like to work in Australia and they also found a brilliant clinic for me that I am still in today.

Were there any pleasant surprises along the way?

There were so many pleasant surprises along the way. Overall though I would say that most of them were related to the worklife balance that you can get from working in Australia and the fun things you can do on your days off here.

How would you summarise the key differences between working in Australia and working in your home country?

I feel like in Australia I have a lot more control over how I set up my clinics and also over the patient cohort that I treat. I feel I have a lot of independence in deciding which patients I want to continue with and which patients I don’t want to continue with. I can also decide if I want to have random days off for various reasons and don’t necessarily have to worry about securing cover as we are here as independent contractors. The thing that I miss about England is other medical practitioners adherence to guidelines. I feel it is often the case that certain doctors at the clinics will prescribe certain medications or do things slightly differently to the guidelines that we use , and that can be confusing for patience when they come in for their prescriptions.

What advice would you give to doctors contemplating the move to Australia?

I remember watching a webinar from the RACGP, which is the college for general practitioners here in Australia. It was about coming over to Australia as an IMG. I thought it was interesting that they actually recommended to use an agency to help with all the administrative work. So that would effectively be your first step.

If you’re a GP dreaming of less stress, better opportunities, and a vibrant lifestyle, we’re here to make it happen. Contact us today and let’s start planning your move to Australia!