Physicians who want to become doctors don’t need to declare a specialty before starting medical school. The training and experience in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program are meant to help you consider your options before you decide what kind of doctor you want to become.
Many medical students discover that they have many skills and interests that make them well-suited to multiple medical specialties. You may find yourself in this situation and be a good candidate for family medicine.
They are the “jacks and shamans” of medical care because they get to try almost every kind of medicine. This is just one benefit of being a family doctor.
The benefits of family medicine
Primary care has been the most popular specialty for medical students. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, family medicine is second in primary care after internal medicine.
After medical school, why choose family medicine? The field offers physicians a variety of career-defining benefits and opportunities. These are just a few of the many perks that this field offers.
The vast scope of work
Family physicians are often the first point of contact for patients. Family medicine is often the first contact for patients seeking specialized care.
As a family doctor, you can translate a patient’s symptoms into a diagnosis. Doctors must ask the right questions, seek out clues and find the answers that will allow them to devise the best treatment plan. Family physicians find this job extremely intellectually stimulating.
The role involves more than medical science. There is an art to good bedside manner in clinical care. It takes a certain skill set to provide hope, comfort, education, counsel, and support to a patient in one interaction.
Family physicians often incorporate knowledge from many specialties into their clinical practice. This allows them to find a niche that suits their needs and practices. This could lead to a subspecialty in family medicine such as maternity care, public healthcare, or sports medicine.
It could also mean you find your place in various practices, from direct primary care or private to multispecialty group or employment at a hospital/community health centre. Family physicians have many options.
The job safety
According to the AAMC, the US will face a shortage of primary care physicians by 2033. Family practice positions are consistently among the most desired by healthcare organizations.
Family physicians are in high demand due to their availability of family doctors. They can choose whether they want to practice in a rural or urban setting. Family physicians may pursue different career options in teaching, research, and public health.
Family practice physicians have access to loan repayment programs. For primary care physicians willing and able to work in medically underserved areas, federal and state programs often offer attractive repayment benefits.
Overall job satisfaction
Family medicine offers unique flexibility that is unmatched. This allows for a healthy work-life balance that is impossible in other specialties. This allows them to be more in control of their work hours and positively impacts workplace satisfaction.
A survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) found that certain aspects of family medicine, such as the wide scope of practice, are associated with lower levels of physician fatigue. 75% of family physicians surveyed reported feeling satisfied with their careers, while 79% said they felt well.
This generalist role offers a variety of skills that can prevent boredom and help to avoid burnout. A strong sense of satisfaction can also be experienced when you can care for all patients who come to you as a family doctor, even if it is a referral to a specialist.
Longstanding patient relationships
Another study revealed that physician happiness could be linked to decreased patient time. This may explain why family doctors experience high levels of job satisfaction.
Family physicians allow doctors to get to know their patients better. Family physicians often become like trusted friends or extended family members. They form close relationships with their patients by caring for them over many years.
The impact of highly qualified family physicians is immense. Family practice is more than primary care. It’s about relationships and caring for whole families over multiple generations.
These practitioners are the patient’s first point of contact. They care for patients within the context of their families and understand the effects on the health and well-being of the community. They are unmatched in their holistic approach to medicine.