Dr Andrew Theivendra, London
Dr Andrew
Theivendra is a GP Registrar at the Lonsdale Medical Centre in
London. He is a member of the London GP VTS Training committee and
the RCGP London Faculties GP VTS Committee, representing GP
trainees by raising their profile within the College and
highlighting their training needs.
“My dad is a single-handed GP in Enfield, and
when I was growing up I got an insider view of what the job
entailed. I saw how rewarding it was, but as my dad worked round
the clock I also saw how hard it could be.
“When I went to medical school I kept an open
mind about what I wanted to specialise in. I enjoyed every bit of
my training, which made it difficult to choose! What really
appealed about general practice is that it is a speciality in
Generalism, stretching the field of medicine across ages, sexes,
cultures and multiple pathologies. General practice also places a
high value on continuity of care, something which is difficult in
many NHS settings.
“The breadth of clinical medicine in general
practice in itself is enormous, but we treat people, not just
conditions, and look at how psychological factors can affect
medical problems. GPs are very people-focused, and in addition to
providing clinical care, they co-ordinate healthcare and work on
education and prevention initiatives. This diversity is
challenging, but exciting.
“General practice offers a wide range of
career options, which is important. At the moment I want to
concentrate on honing my generalist skills but I like the fact that
there is scope for me to become more involved in different aspects
of clinical medicine and primary care policy later on, if I
choose.
“Being a specialist generalist is finally
getting the recognition and respect it deserves. Medical students
and Foundation Year Doctors are now given GP placements as part of
their training and it’s great that they can see what it is that GPs
actually do.
“I go home exhausted at the end of each day
but it’s such a rewarding job. The relationships you build up with
patients are so important. Being a GP gives you an opportunity to
show that you really care – patients know that you’re in it for the
long-term.”