What is a family practice physician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Janet Williams Ph.D.

A family practice physician provides comprehensive primary care to patients of all ages. They diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses, as well as manage preventive care such as screenings, vaccinations and health education. They also provide referrals when necessary. Family practice physicians develop relationships with patients and often provide continuity of care over many years. They typically work in private practices, clinics or hospitals, and may also make house calls or provide telemedicine.

What general advice would you give to a family practice physician?

Janet Williams Ph.D.

Professor of Biology, College of Our Lady of the Elms

Students who wish to continue their education in healthcare (MD, DO, DMD, DVM, PA, PT, OT, and many other areas), should ensure that they have plenty of experience in healthcare by becoming certified as an EMT or CNA, and spend at least 1-2 years working or volunteering in that capacity. Students should graduate with strong GPAs, over 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and should have taken all of their prerequisite courses. Students should be prepared to take standardized admissions exams, and plan to do well in them.

ScoreFamily Practice PhysicianUS Average

Salary

10.0

Avg. Salary $205,717

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 19.12%

Black or African American 5.18%

Hispanic or Latino 9.59%

Unknown 4.46%

White 61.48%

Gender

female 62.18%

male 37.82%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a family practice physician?

Pros

Potential for flexible work hours and scheduling
High demand for family practice physicians, leading to job security
Potential for a good work-life balance
Competitive salary and benefits packages available
High level of job satisfaction from helping patients and making a difference in their lives

Cons

Heavy workload and long hours, leading to burnout and stress
High levels of paperwork and administrative tasks required
Low reimbursement rates from insurance companies, leading to financial strain for the practice or physician
Difficulty in balancing patient care with financial considerations for the practice
Potential for medical malpractice lawsuits

Key steps to become a family practice physician

Explore family practice physician education requirements

Most common family practice physician degrees

Bachelor's

38.0 %

Doctorate

21.6 %

Associate

12.9 %

Start to develop specific family practice physician skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	22.26%
Family Practice	19.36%
Primary Care	14.08%
Urgent Care	10.89%
EMR	8.24%

Complete relevant family practice physician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New family practice physicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a family practice physician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real family practice physician resumes.

Research family practice physician duties and responsibilities

Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
Provide and perform x-rays and EKG upon doctor's request.
Perform EHR practice assessments and work and documentation flow analysis and redesign.
Review EHR on an as needed basis per missing information or documentation.

Prepare your family practice physician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your family practice physician resume.

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