Education of Medical Health Care Providers in Family Health

Throughout most of the 20th century, the family physician was actually a general practitioner. In the late 1960s family practice evolved as a specialty and grew rapidly in the 1970s. In addition to physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are also involved in providing health care for the family. Family medicine must be distinguished from primary care, which simply implies a practitioner whom the patient would see first for any given complaint. Primary care includes the specialties of pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine, as well as family practice. This entry focuses on the education of family practice professionals, including educational requirements, important attributes for those entering the field, and continuing education.