Family Medicine Physicians: Career Profile
Diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Family Medicine Physicians Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of family medicine physicians cover:
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
- Refer patients to medical specialists or other practitioners when necessary.
Skills and Knowledge
Top family medicine physicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Family Medicine Physicians Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Board Certified Family Physician
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- Doctor
- Family Medicine PCP (Family Medicine Primary Care Physician)
- Family Medicine Physician
- Family Physician
- Family Practice Medical Doctor (FP MD)
- Family Practice Physician (FP Physician)
How Many Family Medicine Physicians Are There?
There are about 1,238,081 family medicine physicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Family Medicine Physicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $95,401 |
| Hourly median | $45.87 |
| 10th percentile | $65,569 |
| 25th percentile | $80,485 |
| 75th percentile | $110,316 |
| 90th percentile | $125,232 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $238,370 |
| Kansas | $237,200 |
| South Carolina | $236,950 |
| Delaware | $235,960 |
| Vermont | $233,160 |
| Mississippi | $231,580 |
| Tennessee | $229,050 |
| Texas | $228,560 |
| North Carolina | $227,310 |
| Hawaii | $222,790 |
| Ohio | $220,600 |
| Maine | $220,590 |
| Florida | $220,500 |
| Illinois | $220,260 |
| Michigan | $219,990 |
| Virginia | $219,500 |
| Oklahoma | $219,220 |
| South Dakota | $217,460 |
| Missouri | $216,990 |
| Rhode Island | $216,220 |
| New York | $214,790 |
| District of Columbia | $212,830 |
| Alabama | $198,930 |
| Connecticut | $198,160 |
| Puerto Rico | $117,220 |
| Arkansas | $62,360 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for family medicine physicians vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | $162,926 | 22.8% | 1.00 |
| Great Lakes | $155,519 | 10.1% | 0.92 |
| Southwest | $151,762 | 12.8% | 1.32 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $117,220 | 0.7% | 1.16 |
| New England | $91,044 | 5.6% | 1.25 |
| Plains States | $90,160 | 7.2% | 1.18 |
| Middle Atlantic | $51,174 | 15.1% | 1.36 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Family Medicine Physicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $238,630 | 200 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $236,970 | 110 |
| Midland, TX | TX | $236,400 | 40 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | GA | $236,270 | 150 |
| Johnson City, TN | TN | $236,200 | 70 |
| Birmingham, AL | AL | $236,160 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | TN | $236,090 | 60 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $235,350 | 110 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of family medicine physicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 102,520 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 1,490 | $145,350 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,290 | $223,870 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 380 | $209,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 250 | n/a |
| Manufacturing | 30 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where family medicine physicians work:
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for family medicine physicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Getting Started in This Career
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Primary-Long)
- Registered Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Midwives (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future family medicine physicians typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1215.00 (Family Medicine Physicians).
HealthcareDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© HealthcareDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.