Healthcare practitioners
Family doctor
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.
Median pay
$244,180
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
2,900
Time to qualify*
8.5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Family doctor
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
- Required
- MCAT · USMLE Steps 1–3 · State medical license · Board certification
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Family doctor: 42% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Board Certified Family Physician · Family Medicine Physician · Family Physician · Family Practice Medical Doctor (FP MD) · Family Practice Physician (FP Physician) · Family Practitioner · Medical Doctor (MD) · Medical Staff Physician
Outlook and AI
Family doctors held 114,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 118,000 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Family doctor vs. Physician assistant
- Family doctor vs. Nurse practitioner
- Family doctor vs. Dentist
- Family doctor vs. Emergency medicine physician
- Family doctor vs. Pediatricians, general
- Family doctor vs. General internal medicine physician
- Family doctor vs. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Family doctor vs. Pediatric surgeon
- Family doctor vs. Psychiatrist
- Family doctor vs. Cardiologist
- Family doctor vs. Registered nurse
- Family doctor vs. Physician (other specialties)