What is a family physician?

Family physicians are specialists in primary care for individuals of all ages. This personalized care is provided within the context of their families and communities through accessible, comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated care. Family physicians champion holistic, empathic, compassionate, equitable, culturally humble, and relationship-based care to patients across the broad spectrum of society (1).

What does a family physician do?

Family physicians provide first contact care. They have expertise in preventive medicine, as well as in managing complexities and co-morbidities through coordinated interdisciplinary and inter-professional care. They advocate for highquality, cost-effective, and high value care which improves health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Through knowledge of structural determinants of health, family physicians advance equity in health care for all.

Family physicians provide first contact care within the context of their patients’ families and community, often caring for multigenerational members of the same family. This opportunity for contextual care gives family physicians an important perspective for understanding barriers to health. They use critical thinking skills in the service of understanding the patient illness experience to arrive at a common shared therapeutic approach.

Family physicians are skilled in behavioral health. Recognizing the interrelationship of mental and physical health, they work to address the barriers and challenges of accessing behavioral health care in our complex society.

Family physicians excel at coordinated team-based care and advocate for high value care their partnership with diverse, interprofessional teams. They are superb communicators and serve as teachers to patients, colleagues, and community groups. Family physicians employ respect and compassion with colleagues, allied health professionals, patients, and patients’ families. They serve as members and leaders of the multiple teams required to provide complex and coordinated care.

Family physicians are lifelong learners who engage in self-reflection to become master adaptive learners to address their professional development needs.

Family physicians advocate for social justice and ethical principles to remove barriers to equitable care for all populations. They advocate for their patients through the development and promotion of health policy by working with local organizations and partnering to promote better health within the intricacies of the health care system.

Family physicians critically analyze and appropriately apply in-person and remote technology to enhance personalized patient care.

How much do family physicians make?

According to data from over 7,500 family physicians, $274,359 is the average full-time annual compensation for 2022. The Medical Group Management Association shows median primary care physician compensation rose 4.4% to $312,427 in 2023 compared to $299,157 in 2022.

In some areas (especially rural settings), those who practice maternity care can expect to earn an average of $5,000-$10,000 more in net income. Income also depends on whether the physician works in a solo, small group, or multispecialty practice, or direct primary care. Depending upon the region of the country in which a family physician chooses to practice, certain office visits and procedures are also rewarded more highly.

How to become a family physician?

Specialty training required prior to certification: Three years