This question creates a lot of
confusion in patients as well as medical students. Although both follow the
approach of primary patient care and seem same, however, there are a few minute
differences which make family medicine as a field totally different from
general practice.
Family medicine and general
practice differ from one another in terms of the level of training, the focus
of care and clinical approaches. Following are mentioned some of the major
differences between the two specialties
for further clarity of students as well as the patients.
Role of General
physicians is trained to deal with
medical issues of adults only. They might be able to provide medical advice for
primary issues for all, however, for a more specialized disease or problem they
will suggest the patient see the respective medical specialist. On the other
hand, the family physician is trained to provide medical care to all members of
the family regardless of their age and
gender.
Both families, as well as general physicians, acquire the same training
in medical school. However, family physicians have to gain additional training for one year after completion of their
residency. General medical training is focused on common general medical
conditions, along with basic experience in each of the internal medicine
subspecialties (such as endocrinology, rheumatology, and infectious diseases)
and neurology.
Moreover, to facilitate comprehensive care for adults, general
physicians are also provided experience in psychiatry, dermatology, ophthalmology,
office gynecology, otorhinolaryngology,
non-operative orthopedics, palliative
medicine, sleep medicine, geriatrics, and rehabilitation medicine.
On the other hand, family medicine
training is provided in specialized outpatient training centers in which trainees work
throughout the course of their training. They are required to provide
acute, chronic, and wellness care for a panel of continuity patients. Family
medicine trainees must also have experiences in behavioral health issues,
common skin diseases, population health, and health system management, and
there is a particular emphasis on wellness and disease prevention.
Hence, regardless of having some
major differences, both general and family physicians have their unique set of
skills and significant roles in the care of adult patients and facilitating
primary health care as per the practice
setting and the specific requirement of the patient.
