Difference Between GP and Physician
GP vs Physician
GP and Physician are both medical doctors. To a majority of people, it doesn’t really matter what the designation of the person treating them is, as long as they are getting medical treatment. To them, they are all doctors. In a sense, they are right. Whether it is a GP or a physician, the person is medically trained and is indeed a doctor. What then is the difference between a GP and Physician and why should it matter to you? This article will try to highlight the differences between the two types of doctors to make it easier for you the next time you need treatment and advice on any ailment.

GP

GP stands for General Practitioners, and if the name suggests anything, they are general doctors (MBBS) who have completed their basic medical degree that takes 4-5 years of studies in a medical college. A GP is there to provide primary health care to people. Most of the people are used to seeing these type of doctors as they set up clinics where they see patients and are allowed to write prescriptions for patients. These are doctors who complete 4 years of medical school and then undergo another 3 years of residentship. In these 3 years they go through a lot of practical and hands on training in different departments of a hospital. It is GP who is the first doctor people consult when they have any health problem. GP is also referred to as a family doctor, an in a sense this is true because he develops a long term relationship with the family members of a patient and becomes a family doctor to all. GP does not have any specialty and as such does not carry any designation around his name, but he is a doctor who is better at diagnosing general health problems.

Physician

Physician is another name for a doctor, but this doctor has invested another 8 years of his life in medical colleges studying a special field of medicine. He is the holder of MBBS degree who pursues higher education specializing in a particular field of medicine such as cardiology, urology, endocrinology etc. This is when he becomes a physician. A physician is also sometimes called a hospital doctor as he is a specialist and different from GP. He is normally attached with several hospitals and looks after patients who are referred to by GP as these patients are critically ill and beyond the limit of treatment at home.
http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-gp-and-v...

1) Niveau d'études (voir références et définition de writeaway)
Depuis les réformes des études de santé la médecine générale est une spécialité en France, donc tous les médecins diplômés depuis cette réforme sont des "physicians".
Les généralistes les plus anciens (qui n'ont pas fait d'années de spécialisation) sont l'équivalent des "general practitioners", mais les deux peuvent exercer sous les deux régimes libéral et salarié, voire les deux statuts en même temps (consultations à l'hôpital publiques et privées, cabinet libéral en ville).

Si la distinction doit se faire par le niveau d'études et de spécialisation, la solution simple
practitioner -> généraliste
physician -> spécialiste
qui était vraie en France avant la réforme est maintenant compliquée, parce que "spécialiste" pour le grand public s'oppose à "généraliste", alors que nombre de généralistes sont des "spécialistes de médecine générale".

2) Par le mode d'exercice et de rémunération
La différence en France serait peut-être plus pertinente par le système de rémunération entre médecin libéral payé en honoraires par ses patients (en fait par la Sécu et les complémentaires, mais ils tiennent à garder cette façade) et médecin salarié, dans un hôpital, centre de soins, dispensaire, maison de retraite, médecin du travail, etc.
Il y a des généralistes à l'hôpital, à la fois des "anciens" (practitioners) n'ayant pas fait d'années de spécialité et des nouveaux (physicians) qui sont de spécialité généraliste.
http://www.hopital.fr/hopital/Nos-metiers/Les-metiers-medica...

Le contexte "for a framework contract" n'est pas suffisant pour trancher: le client peut rechercher à la fois des généralistes et des spécialistes au sens ancien, ou à la fois des médecins libéraux (payés à l'acte) et salariés (payés au mois), il faudrait disposer des contrats proposés pour savoir.