Family Medicine Physicians
Family medicine physicians diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across their lifespan. They may refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.
Family medicine physicians provide medical care to all members of the family, regardless of age or sex. They treat most ailments and provide comprehensive health care.
Family medicine physician assistants treat, evaluate, and help prevent diseases, illnesses, and injuries by providing holistic care, requesting, performing, and interpreting clinical and diagnostic tests. They advise on needed health care and monitor patients' records and progress. They are a patient's first contact for health concerns. Even if a specialist is needed, the family practice doctor can recommend qualified specialists and then work with them to monitor prescriptions and progress.
The patient-physician relationship focuses on integrated care. Family medicine physicians' jobs are to treat not just acute and chronic illnesses, they provide routine health screenings and counselling on lifestyle.
A family practice doctor undergoes a minimum of three years of speciality training (beyond medical school) in primary care, including in-depth coverage of adult and paediatric medicine, preventive care and OB care. The necessarily required skills include healthcare, urgent care, internal medicine, patient care and health system. The family medicine physician's salary depends on the skill and experience of the same.
To be successful, a family medicine specialist requires certain essential skills like energy, compassion, a passion for saving lives, being a problem solver, the ability to communicate well, and excellent leadership skills.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- M.D. Preventive and Social Medicine
- M.Sc. Preventive and Social Medicine
- PG Diploma Community Medicine
- MBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
Tasks
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Refer patients to medical specialists or other practitioners when necessary.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
- Coordinate work with nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, and other health care providers.
- Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems.
Progression Routes
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