[Medical activities of GPs outside of their medical practice]

It is not unusual for many doctors to perform other activities outside of their regular practice, herewith referred to as Activities Outside Medical Office (AMHC). The aim of our work was to identify physicians who practiced AMHC, record and describe these AMHC, as well as understand GPs' motivations to pursue them. The study population was composed of general practitioners in private practice in the department, and physicians in a particular exercise mode (MEP) were excluded. The survey covered 661 GPs in a region of western France; 329 responses (53%) were collected. More male doctors than female doctors reported having at least one AMHC (58% of men versus 33% of women). These activities range from practicing medicine in other establishments, to teaching at a medical school, to providing expert consultations and are mostly underpinned by supplementary training. When these AMHC are seen as more prevalent among older doctors, they sometimes constitute the beginning of a career conversion or change of profession for older professionals who no longer wish to have a full time medical practice. These different kinds of AMHC are diverse, both in terms of the level of investment they require and in terms of their various levels of remuneration. The existence and practice of AMHC seem to serve as a response to the difficulties posed to the practice of general medicine while simultaneously being limited by it. The practice of these activities could be disrupted by changes in medical demography.