Study highlights what female GPs need to thrive
11 Sep 2026
Published in the British Journal of General Practice, the study reviewed 72 studies and reports to explore when and how women GPs are able to thrive at work.
The researchers identified several factors that can support female GPs, including positive relationships with patients and colleagues, strong social support, flexible appointment arrangements, career development opportunities, supervision groups and good role models.
However, the review also found several barriers that can make general practice more difficult for women.
Female GPs experience higher rates of burnout, anxiety and depression, as well as slower career progression than male GPs.
The study highlighted the pressure of managing multiple caring responsibilities outside work, gender-based mistreatment and workplace systems that may not reward work equally.
The authors said social support can help reduce workplace stress and burnout and create opportunities for career development.
However, women with caring responsibilities can remain at greater risk of long-term stress, burnout and leaving general practice because they are often expected to manage several roles at the same time.
The study also found that women GPs may be more likely to provide longer consultations because patients often seek them for particular health concerns.
A draft report from the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee has also identified gender differences in consultation lengths, with female GPs more likely to provide longer consultations.
Longer consultations can be rewarding for GPs, but the study found they can also increase exhaustion and affect career progression.
RACGP Vice President Dr Ramya Raman said the qualities that help make a good GP can become difficult to sustain when the healthcare system does not properly recognise the time and complexity involved.
She said practices should consider how complex work is distributed among GPs and ensure that longer consultations are appropriately valued.
Dr Raman also said Medicare rebates need to better reflect the changing needs of patients and the growing role of longer consultations in general practice.
The researchers said more needs to be done to retain and support women in general practice.
They noted that solutions often focus on part-time work or changing individual working arrangements, which can affect patient access and care, while the wider organisational factors behind these pressures are less often addressed.
Dr Raman said general practice needs career structures that allow doctors to move through different stages of life without having to leave their career path.
She also highlighted the importance of flexible career opportunities, professional development, leadership roles, mentoring and better distribution of complex patients.
The study concluded that supporting female GPs requires changes at both the workplace and policy levels to create a more sustainable and fulfilling profession.
Study highlights what female GPs need to thrive
Source: British Journal of General Practice / RACGP newsGP