Family medicine is a primary care specialty providing:
✅ Lifelong care (newborns → seniors)
✅ Treatment of 90%+ health concerns
✅ Chronic disease management
✅ Preventive medicine & health education
💡 Did You know? Countries with strong primary care (like Canada) have longer lifespans & lower costs than specialist-heavy systems (like the US).
All ages: Pediatrics, adults, geriatrics
All organs: Heart disease, diabetes, depression
Procedures: Joint injections, skin biopsies
9-5 schedules (vs. surgeon 80-hr weeks)
Long-term patient relationships
Less burnout than other specialties
#1 Most Needed Specialty (AAMC predicts shortage of 48,000 PCPs by 2034)
Salaries rising due to
demand
| Specialty | Patient Focus | Training Length |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine | All ages, whole family | 3-year residency |
| Internal Medicine | Adults only | 3 years |
| Pediatrics | Children only | 3 years |
Key Difference: Only family doctors deliver babies AND care for grandparents!
Year 1: Hospital rotations (ER, ICU)
Year 2: Specialty clinics (OB/GYN, psych)
Year 3: Outpatient clinic leadership
IUD insertions
Skin suturing
Diabetic foot exams
US: UCSF, UNC, Mayo Clinic
UK: Oxford, Imperial College
India: AIIMS, CMC Vellore
⏰ 7:30 AM:
Hospital rounds (if practicing inpatient)
🩺 9 AM - 12 PM: Clinic visits (15-20 patients)
Physicals
Hypertension management
Depression screening
🍽️ 12 PM: Lunch (often while charting!)
💻 1 - 5 PM: More clinic + telemedicine
📝 5 - 6 PM: Paperwork & referrals
| Country | Average Salary | Top Employers |
|---|---|---|
| USA | $260,000 | Kaiser, VA, private practices |
| UK | £85,000 | NHS, private clinics |
| Canada | CA$300,000 | Provincial health systems |
| India | ₹12-25 LPA | Apollo, Fortis, rural health missions |
💰 Income Boosters:
Sports medicine certification
Aesthetics (Botox training)
Concierge medicine
AI Assistants: Nabla, Glass Health for documentation
Genetic Risk Screening: 23andMe
integration
Hospital-at-Home Models
Aging populations need more PCPs
Mental health integration in primary care
Medical School (MD/DO/MBBS)
3-Year Residency
Optional Fellowship (Sports med, geriatrics)
Volunteer at free clinics for experience
Join AAFP/CFPC early for networking
Learn Spanish (US) / Local languages (India)
⚠️ Administrative Burden (EHR clicks per day: 4,000+)
⚠️ Lower Pay vs. specialists (But better lifestyle!)
⚠️ Rural Shortages (80% of Indian districts need more doctors)
"The family doctor is the only specialist trained to see the patient as a whole human—not just a liver or a knee." — Dr. Atul Gawande
Family medicine offers diverse practice + work-life balance
3-year residency trains you for 90% of health issues
AI & telehealth are transforming (not replacing) the field
Global demand is skyrocketing – job security for decades
👩⚕️ Your Turn: Shadow a family doctor to see if it’s your calling!