Who is a family physician?
A family physician is a medical professional who has received training to provide healthcare services to the entire family. It comprises adult healthcare, OB/GYN care, and medical care for children. Family doctors are committed to delivering primary care to patients of all ages and genders. A pediatrician will typically see children until they reach the age of 21. An internist only sees adults. However, a family doctor offers comprehensive medical treatment to everyone, from infants to older adults.
These medical professionals provide health care for acute, chronic, and preventive conditions. Family physicians offer the following services:
- Conducting routine examinations, such as well-child visits
- Assessing multiple risks to an individual's health
- Offering immunizations
- Conducting screening procedures
- Advising on leading a healthy lifestyle
- Treating and providing care for chronic diseases
Doctors who practice family medicine can also specialize in public health, emergency care, and sports medicine.
Education and training of family physicians
To practice family medicine, aspiring individuals must have a bachelor's degree. They must then study biology, physics, math, chemistry, etc. Some students gain work experience under the supervision of a doctor or with a medical facility before enrolling in a medical school.
Medical aspirants must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). After getting admitted to an accredited medical school, one must complete the four-year program to earn a degree in Doctor of Medicine (MD.) In the first two years, students learn via classroom and laboratory training in anatomy, pathology, ethics, pharmacology, biochemistry, etc. They must also learn how to diagnose medical conditions and examine patients. During the last two years, students have interned at hospitals and clinics under the supervision of licensed doctors.
After completing medical school, aspiring family physicians must start their residency in family medicine. The training focuses on various conditions and procedures typically encountered by family doctors. To have a wide range of expertise, one must complete clinical rotations in critical care, cardiology, pediatrics, sports medicine, and dermatology.
Doctors must have a license to practice family medicine. Some standard requirements are graduation from an accredited medical program, completion of residency training, and passing licensing exams. One can then get certification from the American Board of Family Medicine or the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians to practice family medicine. Family Medicine Certification (FMC) ensures that you are highly skilled and effective at maintaining and improving an individual's health by meeting the specific residency training requirements and maintaining high professional standards.
Reasons why you should have a family physician
Who should you call if you get sudden flu symptoms, severe back pain, or an unanticipated rash? In most medical circumstances, a family doctor can provide the best treatment. The only exception is a medical emergency. But visiting primary care physicians regularly, including family physicians, can help. Here are a few of the benefits of seeing the best family doctor near you:
- Family doctors care for you throughout your life.
Family doctors can be your primary care providers at any time because they can treat several illnesses.
- They are familiar with your personal and family background.
Doctors become entirely familiar with your medical history after treating you for years. It enables them to provide accurate diagnoses, watch for early symptoms, and monitor changes in your health over time.
- Family doctors address more problems than you would think.
Yes, family doctors perform your routine checkups. However, they can also aid in managing long-term illnesses like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. They can handle minor emergency issues, including accidents and sinus infections. They can support you during your entire pregnancy.
- They assist you in finding the right specialist.
A family doctor can write referrals to specialists matching your unique medical requirements. They can easily find the best expert in their network who would fit you based on your medical history, current conditions, and comfort.
How to prepare for a visit to the family doctor?
Whether you are going for a sick visit or an annual checkup, preparing for your family doctor appointment is always better to ensure you make the most of it. Here is a helpful checklist of things to keep in mind:
- Gather your medical records: Your medical records can give your family doctor an overall idea about your health. A day or two before your consultation, spend time compiling everything, including your past and current health conditions, diagnostic test results, treatments, and surgeries. Do not leave anything out thinking it's irrelevant—let your provider decide that.
- Know your family history: Your doctor may ask you about health concerns in your family to assess if you are at risk of any future problems.
- Compile your medications: Prepare a list of your past and current prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements. Please include information on their dosage levels and how often you take them.
- Record your allergies: Tell your provider about your allergies, such as drug, food, and seasonal allergies. It will help them prepare the right health plan for you accordingly.
- Jot down your symptoms: Make a detailed note about any concerning symptoms you wish to discuss during your appointment. You can try answering these questions:
- What are my symptoms?
- When did the symptoms begin?
- What makes the symptoms better or worse?
- Are the symptoms affecting my daily life?
- Prepare a list of questions: Family doctors focus on patient education and encourage their patients to ask any health-related queries. You can ask them to elaborate on lifestyle and diet choices, exercise plans, weight management, and other topics you need clarity on.
- Ask a loved one to accompany you: Taking a family member or a friend to accompany you for your appointment can help calm your nerves during the visit. Besides, they can also note down any important information shared by your doctor.
- Call your doctor's office: While the above list is comprehensive, every doctor may follow a slightly different protocol. So it is better to call their office and ask what you need to bring to the appointment.
How to find the best family doctor near you in Brooklyn, NY?
If you are looking for the best family physicians in Brooklyn, New York, visit the Zocdoc website and create an account for free. Then search for the doctor by specialty, the condition you want to address, or the procedure you wish to avail.
Zocdoc also provides options to narrow your search using some advanced search filters. These include location, date, time of appointment, gender of the practitioner, distance from your locality, the doctor's hospital affiliation, etc. You can even choose your current medical insurance from the drop-down menu on the website, and you will find the list of family physicians who accept your insurance. You can book an in-person or virtual appointment with your chosen medical expert based on the doctor's availability.
If you want to have a family doctor for the first time, you might be interested in their expertise, how many years they have trained for, their certifications, licensure, and their accomplishments in their field. Zocdoc provides all this information in the doctor's bio to help you make a better choice. You can also find genuine reviews from previous patients about these doctors.
Zocdoc is a reliable and easy-to-use platform that can assist you with finding the best family doctor near you. Moreover, all bookings on Zocdoc are simple, secure, and free!
Family physician statistics in the United States
In the United States, about 102,930 practicing doctors specialize in family medicine, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. They work primarily in offices of physicians (70,790), general surgery and medical hospitals (19,360), and outpatient care centers (6,520).
As per the American Diabetes Association, around 1,717,067 people in New York (10.7% of the adult population) have diabetes. Moreover, 456,000 people have diabetes but are not aware of it. In addition, 33.5% of the adult population has prediabetes, and over 139,000 people in New York are diagnosed with diabetes yearly.
Sources
WebMD
FamilyDoctor.org
Cleveland Clinic
BestAccreditedColleges.org
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
American Diabetes Association
Oak Street Health
Intercoastal Medical Group
