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What is family medicine, and who are family physicians?

Family medicine is a primary care medical area that offers inclusive healthcare to patients of all ages and genders, including emergency care, care for women's health conditions, preventative care, and services for health education.

Family physicians provide comprehensive healthcare to all family members regardless of age or gender. Their knowledge of the health history of each family member allows individuals to consult them for preventive care as well as for health maintenance. Family physicians mostly work in private settings but can also be affiliated with hospital settings or community medicine clinics. 

What does a family physician do?

Unlike some specialties that typically focus on one organ or group of organs, family physicians diagnose and treat most health conditions across all age groups. 

Family physicians learn six main specialties: psychiatry, pediatrics, community medicine, internal medicine, gynecology-obstetrics, surgery, and neurology. The extensive training across major medical areas allows them to diagnose and treat various ailments. They also undertake routine examinations, immunizations, and health risk assessments.

In addition to treating acute illnesses, family physicians coordinate the care other subspecialists give. Family physicians offer continuing, individualized care for the most severe health issues, such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease, stroke, and hypertension.

They also perform many procedures across various medical areas, including spirometry, colonoscopy, skin procedures, endoscopy, vasectomy, ultrasound imaging, family planning/pregnancy management, suturing lacerations, and musculoskeletal injections.

Education and training of family physicians

All family doctors start by earning their medical or osteopathic degree from a recognized institution. Students must pass board exams in medical school, such as levels 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or steps 1 and 2 of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX).

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree, which permits students to begin full clinical training in a residency program, is awarded to students who successfully complete both tests, core science courses, and clerkships.

Family physicians undergo extensive training after graduating from medical school to give patients the best care possible. This training includes a three-year residency, an in-depth course covering the entire human lifespan, and potential additional fellowships and credentials in specialties like faculty development, adolescent medicine, emergency medicine, and more. They also take part in combined inpatient and outpatient training.

What are the various subspecialties in family medicine?

Family medicine physicians seeking to specialize in a particular field undergo fellowship training, closely shadowing specialists in their chosen subspecialty. The term 'fellow' refers to the learning physician in this context. Specializing in family medicine is highly competitive, and the leaders of fellowship training programs are esteemed experts in their fields, providing invaluable learning experiences.

Upon selecting a family medicine subspecialty and entering a fellowship, physicians can earn a subspecialization certificate by completing additional training and exams. Uniquely, specialists must maintain certification in family medicine and their chosen subspecialty. Certificates of  Added Qualification (CAQs) are valid for ten years, requiring recertification in both family medicine and the subspecialty.

Family medicine, emphasizing integrated care and holistic treatment, offers various subspecialties:

1. Hospice and palliative medicine: Specializes in providing compassionate care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, addressing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.

2. Pain medicine: Diagnoses and treats acute or chronic pain, including pain related to cancer, coordinating care with other specialists.

3. Adolescent medicine: Focuses on adolescents' unique physical, psychological, and social characteristics and healthcare needs.

4. Geriatric medicine: Involves caring for elderly patients in various settings, with expertise in aging and comprehensive management of geriatric illnesses.

5. Sleep medicine: Deals with clinical conditions affecting sleep, analyzing polysomnography results, and managing sleep laboratories.

6. Sports medicine: Focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating injuries related to sports and exercise, addressing health and physical performance concerns.

When should you see a family physician near you?

Family medicine has its foundation in a long-lasting, close-knit patient-physician relationship based on integrated care. In other words, a family medicine physician offers the best medical treatment by looking at the entire body rather than just one organ system. Family physicians are approachable and can provide advice on routine health matters, such as: 

• Annual checkup: If you are due for your annual healthcare checkup, you must approach your family doctor. They can consult and specify specific diagnostic tests that you should take. 
• Routine child visits: These visits entail routine checkups, immunizations, monitoring child development, and specific treatments.
• Pregnancy care: A family doctor can help you manage your pregnancy-related concerns, whether checking vitals, monitoring nutrition, or changing lifestyle habits.
• Managing chronic conditions: Living with chronic conditions could necessitate regular visits to your family physician for monitoring vitals, diagnostic tests, and health management.

What should one expect during a visit to a family doctor?

When you visit a family physician near you, the experience varies based on the purpose. Initially, the doctor will check your vital signs, like blood pressure, and request routine blood tests for conditions like high cholesterol. The examination covers the head and neck, skin, and, for women, screenings such as pap smears. Heart, lung, and musculoskeletal exams are standard, along with abdominal checks. 

The doctor discusses lifestyle, medications, and mental wellness and addresses health-related problems. This holistic approach helps them understand your overall well-being.

The doctor will administer immunizations as needed. Men may undergo screenings like prostate exams. They will also conduct growth assessments for infants and children. 

How to choose between a family doctor and a pediatrician for your child?

When selecting your child's doctor, you are making a crucial decision, as this provider will play a key role in guiding your little one's health, well-being, and development. While choosing between a family doctor and a pediatrician, you may have questions like: 

Does my baby need specialized care from a pediatrician during the early years, or can a family doctor provide comprehensive care from day one? 

If I choose a pediatrician, when should I transition the consultation to a family doctor or an adult healthcare specialist?

Both family doctors and pediatricians are primary care providers, but many differences set them apart:

Training and education

• Pediatricians get their certification from the American Board of Pediatrics, while family doctors receive theirs from the American Board of Family Medicine.
• Pediatricians focus exclusively on patients under 18 years old, whereas your family doctor can treat you and your family members at any age.
• After completing four years of medical school, pediatricians spend three additional years studying child development stages, growth patterns, and behavior. Family doctors complete their residency with further training in internal medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and geriatrics.

Benefits of choosing a family doctor

If you already have a trusted relationship with your family doctor, they can easily include your new baby in their care - potentially even during pregnancy if they offer those services. Your child never needs to switch doctors since family physicians provide lifetime care. When your family doctor treats multiple family members, they develop a deeper understanding of your family's medical history and can spot health patterns affecting everyone.

Benefits of choosing a pediatrician

Consider a pediatrician if your child needs specialized care for physical, mental, or social health concerns or if you prefer a doctor who focuses solely on children's health. Many parents choose pediatricians because they want an expert dedicated to everything from teething to teenage anxiety. However, your child will need to switch to a new doctor before turning 18 since pediatricians only treat children.

Your child's doctor significantly influences their healthy development. Consider practical factors like the office location and your insurance coverage. Ask for recommendations from people you trust. Above all, ensure your child feels at ease with the doctor, and you feel confident about the care they provide.

Finding a family physician near you in Las Vegas, Nevada

Having a family physician treat you for an extended period allows them a wider understanding of your health history. This enables your doctor to provide more accurate treatments while looking closely for any adjustments or red flags during regular medical tests and exams. 

Finding trusted doctors in the city can be a tough task. Zocdoc can help you find the right provider in a matter of minutes! Visit our website and enter your search query based on your location, preferred appointment date, insurance company, and specialty. Zocdoc will curate a list of providers based on your specifications, each with a dedicated profile!

Provider profiles contain necessary information about the doctor's qualifications, licensure, experience, user ratings, spoken language, and practice location. You can peruse several profiles and ratings to identify the right provider. 

If your insurance plan is not listed on Zocdoc, try uploading a photo of your card. We will scan the image and display the most likely plan. If you are experiencing problems uploading a picture of your card, please contact our service team. Moreover, for any insurance-related questions, reach out to Zocdoc's patient help center.

Many of the physicians in our database also provide online and after-hours counseling. You can select a time that usually works for you and your doctor. 

Booking appointments with family physicians near you on Zocdoc is easy, safe, and free!

Statistics related to family doctors in Nevada

According to a 2018 report published by the Robert Graham Center, "The State of Primary Care Physician Workforce: Nevada," there were about 1,523 primary care physicians, of which approximately 41% (≈626) were family doctors. In Nevada, approximately 42% of family doctors were over 55, less than the national average of 44%.

About 19% of family doctors in the state graduated from a foreign medical school in 2018, and around 16% had osteopathic training. Rural counties in Nevada only had about 9% of the state's population, yet almost 10% of its family doctors practice there. Additionally, the state produced 81 family doctors between 2011 and 2017, of which 36 (≈44%) remained in the state. Nevada can endeavor to expand its primary care physician pipeline in local communities by increasing support for family medicine residency programs.

Sources

American Academy of Family Physicians[1]

WebMD

American Academy of Family Physicians[2]

American Academy of Family Physicians[3]

Medical University of the Americas

University of Utah

Robert Graham Center

HealthPartners

North Texas Medical Center

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.