Family medicine

Common card · No. 246034

Family medicine is a medical specialty that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body. The specialist, who is usually a primary care physician, is called a family physician. In certain countries family medicine is synonymous with general practice (with those who practice known as a general practitioner), though in other countries, this is a distinct field than Family medicine. Historically, the role of Family doctors was once performed by any doctor with qualifications from a medical school and who worked in the community. However, since the 1950s, family medicine has become a specialty in its own right, with specific training requirements tailored to each country. The names of the specialty emphasize its holistic nature and/or its roots in the family. It is based on knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community, focusing on disease prevention and health promotion. According...

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