The Job Description of a Family Doctor

When one imagines a family doctor, the image of a friendly doctor wearing a white coat, listening to your needs and caring for the whole family comes to mind. These doctors are not specialists in any one field, but rather a diagnostician and healer of all age groups and diseases. The family doctor often treats all members of a family which makes it easier for him to advocate a healthy lifestyle. 

The family practice doctor gets to know his or her patients and often acts as a friend and healer in small communities. He or she is the first place a patient goes to seek a diagnosis. The family physician can assess a large range of illnesses and injuries from the flu to a broken bone. His or her patients usually stay with him or her for their whole life and he or she may continue to treat the family for several generations. This is helpful, because as the doctor gets to know the whole family, he or she knows their medical history and possible predisposition to condition. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for a family doctor of $186,000

A family doctor generally shares an office with another doctor, and they take turns being on-call to consult with patients during emergencies. He or she is a practicing member of at least one hospital so he or she can treat patients who have been admitted to the hospital. He or she refers his or her patients to specialists when needed, but continues to monitor the patient's progress. 

To become a family physician, he or she must attend a four-year college or university and study pre-med. Then he or she must get a medical degree from a two-year medical college. He or she can choose to be either a Medical Doctor or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. He or she goes through training as an intern in a hospital setting, then two years as a resident.