This assistant vicar in Henleaze is splitting her time between her new church role and her other job – as a GP.

St Peter's' vicar, the Rev Mark Pilgrim, says that the Rev Caroline Yandell's part-time positions are not only an unusual combination, but also "pioneering" in the Church of England.

Dr Yandell has just started working as a curate at the church, in The Drive, after completing three years of theological studies in Cambridge.

Before that, she worked as a GP, medical researcher and lecturer in Bristol, and plans to return to her medical work while she learns the ropes at St Peter's.

Dr Yandell, who is the first person to work as a paid curate at the church since 1996, says that although she will use her skills and knowledge from each role to help her in the other, she will be keeping her two professions separate.

She plans to spend two days a week working as a GP, and about four a week in the parish.

She said: "Because I have been concentrating on my studies recently and not doing much clinical work, I am currently doing a returners scheme through the NHS to catch up on new procedures and so on.

"But when I do start work again as GP in a couple of months' time, I don't want to be doing that in the parish. I wouldn't want people to feel uncomfortable coming to see me as GP because they know me from church, or vice versa. It will be important to keep the two separate. But I am looking forward to bringing my background in medicine and interest in medical ethics into religious debates, and the roles will overlap in some ways.

"'I think my experience as a GP, having supported people through all sorts of life crises, will help me in dealing with people who are facing difficult situations and perhaps to have more confidence in the pastoral part of my work than I would otherwise have as a new curate."

Mr Pilgrim said: "Splitting time between two roles like this is quite pioneering, and may be a model for the rest of the Church of England. I am looking forward to Caroline shadowing me and contributing her own skills to the work we do here."

Dr Yandell said: "I feel I have two vocations – neither one of my jobs is 'the one on the side'. They are both important to me and I think it will be possible to do them both."

She will work as a curate for about four years, after which she could take on a role as a church vicar or as a part-time priest.