Is Family Medicine Right For Me? Information, facts and answers to frequently asked questions about family medicine Amy L. McGaha, MD American Academy of Family Physicians

Primary Care Specialties Family Medicine Internal Medicine Pediatrics

Why is primary care important?  Longer life spans and fewer deaths due to heart and lung disease  Fewer cases and fewer deaths due to colon and cervical cancer  Better detection of breast cancer  Less ER and hospital use  Better preventive care  Reduced health disparities

A typical month of health care in the United States

How are family physicians trained?  3 years  More than 400 family medicine residencies  Community-based  Medical school-based  Military  Inner-city  Urban  Suburban  Rural

Hospital practice of family physicians  83% provide care in the hospital  21% deliver babies  43% delivered care in the CCU  48% delivered care in the ICU  54% deliver care in hospital ER Source – AAFP Facts About Family Medicine

Lifestyle of Family Physicians  50 hours per week in patient-related activities  Avg. wks worked – 47.2 weeks  5 weeks for vacation/CME  Avg. Income $172,000

Where Do Family Physicians Practice? Source: Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Practice and Primary Care.

Are family physicians in demand?  The primary care specialty most in demand  35% increase in recruitment of family physicians since 2004  More ads for family physicians Source: Hawkins, J. Encouraging news about family physician recruitment. Family Practice Management Apr; 12(4); 56-8.

Faces and Places

El Salvador 2002

Faces and Patients

Faces and Places

Body Parts or Whole Person?