Working in Urgent Care Clinics: What GPs Need to Know

Urgent care clinics are becoming an increasingly important part of Australia’s healthcare landscape, offering patients timely access to care while providing GPs with a dynamic and rewarding clinical environment.

For many doctors, urgent care represents a middle ground between traditional general practice and hospital medicine. It’s fast-paced, clinically engaging, and centred on managing acute presentations, all without the overnight shifts or extended inpatient responsibilities often associated with hospital work.

So what is it really like working as a GP in urgent care?

What Is an Urgent Care Clinic?

Urgent care clinics are designed to treat non-life-threatening but time-sensitive conditions that require prompt medical attention. These clinics help bridge the gap between general practice and emergency departments, improving access to care and reducing pressure on hospitals.

Patients may present with:

• Minor injuries such as fractures, sprains, and lacerations
• Acute illnesses including infections, asthma exacerbations, and dehydration
• Wounds, burns, and soft-tissue injuries
• Sudden but stable medical concerns that can’t wait for a routine GP appointment

Urgent care clinics typically operate extended hours and are supported by experienced nursing teams, streamlined triage processes, and access to diagnostic tools.

The GP Experience in Urgent Care

Working in urgent care offers GPs exposure to a broad and varied case mix. No two shifts are the same, and doctors often describe the work as clinically stimulating and professionally refreshing.

Key features of urgent care work include:

• A strong focus on acute assessment and decision-making
• Shorter, problem-focused consultations
• Opportunities to utilise procedural skills
• Immediate impact on patient outcomes

For GPs who enjoy variety, autonomy, and hands-on medicine, urgent care can be a highly satisfying clinical setting.

How Urgent Care Differs from Traditional General Practice

While urgent care clinics share similarities with general practice, the scope and pace of work are distinct.

In urgent care, GPs:

• Manage acute presentations rather than long-term chronic disease
• Focus on assessment, stabilisation, treatment, and appropriate referral
• Work closely with nursing staff in a team-based environment
• Make rapid clinical decisions with clear escalation pathways

Many doctors find this change of rhythm energising, particularly those who enjoy acute care but prefer not to return to hospital-based roles.

Skills That Translate Well to Urgent Care

GPs working in urgent care often draw on skills gained from:

• Emergency department or hospital rotations
• Rural or remote medicine
• Procedural general practice
• After-hours or on-call work

Strong clinical judgement, adaptability, and confidence in acute presentations are valuable, but clinics also provide onboarding, protocols, and team support to help doctors settle into the role.

Support, Teamwork, and Clinical Governance

Urgent care clinics are highly collaborative environments. GPs work alongside skilled nurses, administrative staff, and clinical leads to ensure safe and efficient patient care.

Most clinics offer:

• Structured onboarding and orientation
• Clear clinical guidelines and escalation pathways
• Access to senior support when needed
• A strong emphasis on patient safety and quality care

This team-based approach allows doctors to focus on clinical care while feeling supported in a fast-paced setting.

Lifestyle and Career Flexibility

For many GPs, urgent care offers a flexible and sustainable career option. Clinics often provide:

• Predictable shift structures
• Opportunities for sessional, part-time, or full-time work
• Exposure to a wide range of clinical presentations
• A refreshing alternative to traditional GP consulting

Some doctors choose urgent care as a long-term career path, while others incorporate it alongside general practice, locum work, or portfolio careers.

Is Urgent Care Right for You?

Urgent care clinics can be an excellent fit for GPs who:

• Enjoy acute and varied clinical work
• Thrive in fast-paced environments
• Prefer shorter, focused consultations
• Value teamwork and clinical autonomy

As urgent care continues to expand across Australia, it’s becoming an increasingly attractive option for doctors seeking meaningful, hands-on clinical work with balance and flexibility.

Interested in working in Urgent Care?

At DXC Medical, we work closely with urgent care clinics across Australia and support GPs exploring this space, whether you’re curious, actively looking, or simply want to understand your options.

Explore current urgent care GP opportunities or speak with our team to learn more.