Who Is A Family Physician, And What Are The Perks Of Being One?

Physicians with distinct points of view, expertise, and knowledge through education and training qualify them to give continuing and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance, and preventive services to each member of a family irrespective of their gender, age, or type of problem - biological, behavioral, or social, are cited as family physicians. 

Owing to their background and relations with the family, they are best suited to serve as each member's primary contact in all health-related matters.

A family physician is a doctor who has obtained a minimum of three years of specialty training (beyond medical university) in the broad disciplines of primary health care, including in-depth content coverage of adult and pediatric care, preventive care, and OB care. Family physicians are specially allowed to serve as Primary Care Providers.

Family medicine is an ongoing, exclusive patient-physician relationship-focused integrated healthcare. In addition to diagnosing and treating acute and chronic ailments, they render routine health screenings and reassure on lifestyle changes to prevent ailments before they develop.

Perks of being a Family Physician

Family medicine is a great choice for physicians looking for an energizing and gratifying career.‌ Let's take a look at some of the advantages of being a family physician: 

1. The extensive span of work

Family physicians generally serve as a patient's first point of contact. Family medicine encompasses aspects of all specialties and is regularly the gateway through which patients can get the specially designed care they need.   

By being a family physician, it would be your job to help restate a patient’s list of symptoms into a prognosis. This part is more than just medical science—It takes a certain skill set to be competent to foster hope, provide comfort, educate, and counsel the patient, all in one communion.  

Family physicians incorporate proficiencies from various specialties into their everyday clinical force. There are numerous opportunities for doctors to find a niche that fits their requirements and style of practice. That may restate into a particular subspecialty within family medicine like maternity care, sports medicine, etc. But it could also mean locating your place within a range of different types of practice—from direct primary care or private practice to multispecialty group practice or employed status at a clinic or community health center. The options for family physicians are a great many.

2. A great sense of Job Satisfaction

The exceptional flexibility that comes with working in family medicine lends itself to a healthy sense of work-life balance that doctors may not find in other specialties. These professionals tend to have further control over where and when they work, and they generally witness positive rates of professional satisfaction as a result.  

One of the surveys from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) floated that 75 percent of surveyed family practitioners reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their careers, with 79 percent vouching that they have a positive sense of well-being. 

3. You'll Be a Medical Jack-of all Trades

The practice of family medicine requires a physician with a comprehensive medical knowledge base willing to treat a varied patient population. This aspect of practice makes these physicians unique as time passes, and they stay on top of their general medical knowledge more than their specialist colleagues.

 4. Patient Variety

Unlike several other specialist workmates that service a focused range of pathology, a family physician will be treating cases from all age groups, without gender bias, suffering from a large variety of issues.

5. Deeper and long-lasting Patient association

Being a family physician allows doctors to get to know their patients. In various cases, they become like an extended family member or trusted friend. By nursing their patients physically, mentally, and even emotionally for several periods, close connections are formed that doctors in other specialties don’t always get to experience. These clinicians watch for their patients and even understand the effects of community-level factors and social determinants of health on them. Their holistic approach to therapy is unmatched.  

The impact of high-quality family physicians is far-reaching. The AAFP highlights that family practice goes beyond primary care for the existent. It’s about interrelations and caring for entire families across multiple generations.  

6. Strong Job Market

According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) by 2032, projected primary care physician shortages are anticipated to reach between 21,100 to 55,200 physicians. This means that the number of job vacancies for Family Physicians in the times ahead is trending high.

7. Great Income

The average income for a practicing Family Physician is roughly estimated to be around $200,000. There are also Increased occasions for bonuses, especially while accepting positions in rural or medically under-served areas.

8. The job security

Family physician practice positions have constantly been among the most sought-after by healthcare associations. Because of this wide need for family physicians, those who pursue this field will probably have the option to work in an urban or rural setting and select their practice environment and scope of practice. Family physicians can indeed pursue varying medical career paths in public health and others. 

9. You'll Have a Shared Passion

According to the AAMC, 2018 was the finest year for residers matching to Family Medicine programs. Over 3,500 new Physician trainees were added to the already existing community of Family Medicine Practitioners. This reflects a continued rise in interest in junior Physicians wanting to work in Family Medicine.

Conclusion

Family Physicians are the gatekeepers of medicine. The sick come to FPs with all manner of issues throughout their lifetime, often bringing their family members for treatment. This provides physicians the opportunity to establish unique relationships with patients and their families. It also gives an excellent sense of job satisfaction with one being able to get the right work-life balance which is the most aspiring quality for any working professional.