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Are you searching for a family doctor job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a family doctor. Feel free to use our family doctor job description template to produce your own family doctor job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a family doctor.

 

Who is a Family Doctor?

Family doctors are health professionals who provide holistic medical supervision and take a tailored approach to healthcare. In a medical specialty, many doctors receive their training. Family physicians, however, have trained across the board in medicine. Regardless of your age or sexuality, they treat you as a whole person at all times in your life. Your physical, mental, and emotional well-being is taken into consideration. Patients are familiarized with family doctors. With you and your family, they develop a warm relationship. Your medical background is logged as they listen. By doing this, they are better able to guide you toward making wise health decisions. Family physicians give their patients individualized advice to keep up a healthy lifestyle. When necessary, they coordinate care with other specialists and supervise chronic health concerns. Your medical history and the outcomes of your checkup are among the patient data they gather, record, and maintain. Family doctors operate and deliver infants.

The term “family doctor” refers to the specialist, who is typically a primary care physician. It is frequently referred to as general practice and a doctor as a general doctor. In the past, any doctor who graduated from a medical school and practices in the community used to fill this position. Family medicine and general practice, however, have evolved into their fields of study since the 1950s, with unique educational requirements for each nation. The titles of the specialization reflect its family roots or holistic character. In addition to putting a strong emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion, it is founded on understanding the patient about their family and the wider community.

Family medicine is a branch of medicine that falls under primary care and offers ongoing, all-encompassing medical attention to people and their families, regardless of their ages, genders, ailments, or body parts. Family medicine is a very fulfilling profession and the best specialization choice for those who enjoy getting to know their patients as much as they enjoy learning about their diagnoses. The mission of family medicine, according to the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), is to “promote individualized, comprehensive, and ongoing care for the individual in the framework of the family and the community.” Primary care ethics refers to the moral concerns that underlie this method of treatment.

Family doctors are knowledgeable about the newest procedures and tools. For three years, they receive real-world training. This includes attending to patients at home, in the hospital, and in the office. They keep up their education as well. This enables them to provide their patients with daily care while incorporating the most recent medical developments. The highest standards of medical care are upheld by family doctors. Family physicians must renew their certification every seven to ten years, according to the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). Additionally, every three years, family doctors must complete a minimum of 150 hours of CME. The American Academy of Family Physicians, a national medical organization, also supports family doctors (AAFP).

The AAFP offers family physicians practice management assistance, patient education resources, and chances for excellent learning. The health of the community depends on family doctors. High-quality health and safety in patient populations are promoted by the focus on preventative treatment, patient education, and individualized attention. A family medicine doctor must complete at least 10 years of training. In addition to the minimum three years of undergraduate study, the minimum four years of medical school and the minimum three years of family medicine residency are required. Many doctors, however, may work longer than 10 years if they complete a fellowship following residency, a master’s degree, a Ph.D., a year out from medical school, or a bachelor’s degree.

 

Family Doctor Job Description

What is a family doctor job description? A family doctor job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a family doctor in an organization. Below are the family doctor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a family doctor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

• Provide extensive medical services for family members based on consistent fulfillment of duties, regardless of age or gender.
• Provide patients and residents of specific areas guidance on matters of hygiene and illness prevention.
• Explain to patients the processes involved in medicine, the recommended treatments, and the outcomes.
• Carry out the fundamental obligations and tasks as a family doctor.
• Review the patient’s medical history and keep a record of their allergies, illnesses, prescriptions, and vaccination history.
• Ask the patient about their medical history, and note it down.
• Check the patient’s physical condition and symptoms before administering medication.
• To learn more about the patient’s condition, order and carry out numerous tests, analyses, and diagnostic imaging.
• Analyze test results and report information to diagnose the patient’s condition.
• Diagnose medical conditions and issue therapy recommendations.
• Determine the drug, dose, and regimen based on the patient’s condition and allergies.
• Share any potential negative effects of a drug or vaccination with the patient.
• Write and deliver immunizations to protect patients from communicable diseases.
• Advise patients on food, cleanliness, and illness prevention techniques to encourage good health.
• Refer the patient if consulting services from a medical professional are required for improved care.
• Keep a record of the patient’s visit, medical background, physical examination, diagnoses, and treatment strategy.
• Plan and implement health-related programs at health facilities and the general public to educate individuals on topics like disease prevention and injury treatment.
• Gather and maintain records of patient-related data, such as medical background and test results.
• Assure accurate tracking of patient health status and reaction to treatment.
• Refer patients to specialists to assist in their treatment with severe or urgent illnesses.
• Work in collaboration with nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and other medical professionals.
• Aid in childbirth assistance.
• Perform surgery on patients to restore and enhance the functionality of their injured bodily parts.

 

Qualifications

• A medical degree.
• Must have concluded a  three-year residency in family medicine practice.
• Training in medical specialties such as paediatrics, surgery, neurology, psychiatry, internal medicine, gynaecology, and community medicine is essential.
• Must have passed the board of specialties exam to become board certified in family medicine.
• Excellent communication abilities in both written and oral form.
• Must have a nature that is kind and alert.
• Effective interpersonal abilities.
• Outstanding quantitative abilities.

 

Essential Skills

• Communication Skills: Family doctors need details from their patients, such as the symptoms they are having and when they first started, to make an appropriate diagnosis. The doctor must pay close attention to the patient and ask pertinent questions that are expressed in terms the patient can understand. The doctor may have to ask the same question in different ways with young patients or those who are experiencing physical or mental suffering. The level of the patient’s comprehension must be determined by the doctor, who must then modify their language. Family doctors must make sure the patient is aware of the significance of following instructions, such as fasting before a lab test or taking medication with food, when prescribing prescriptions, referring patients, or ordering tests.
• Interpersonal Skills: The health care team for a patient doesn’t just consist of their family doctor. So, in addition to treating patients, family doctors also collaborate with other doctors, office nurses, lab technicians, and pharmacists. A referral or operation could occasionally need him to defend it to an insurance company representative. Family practitioners must be able to connect with a range of team members and win their support so they can give patients the best care possible. Family physicians develop long-lasting connections with patients, some of whom have chronic diseases that call for monitoring throughout their lifetimes, unlike some specialists like obstetricians. The number of patients who visit family practice doctors may decline if they are unable to reassure them and encourage them to come back.
• Attention to Detail: Keeping correct medical records is important for providing patients with care. Family practice physicians must make sure that the information they record is accurate because they frequently encounter patients more than once. When a patient returns, they must check the file to ensure that the records include the outcomes of any prescribed testing. A past disease or drug may be the cause of new symptoms. When making a diagnosis, attention to detail might be crucial. When taken in context with the patient’s symptoms, a passing symptom or idle remark about the patient’s job could reveal a condition linked to environmental exposures, or a symptom that the patient just notes in passing might be the key a doctor needs to identify an illness.
• Reasoning Skills: In general, doctors are scientists who utilize deductive reasoning to aid in using the scientific method when evaluating an issue, such as when making a diagnosis. They also require the capacity for inductive thinking, though. Inductive reasoning entails drawing a conclusion from information that appears to be irrelevant or even contradictory. Problem sensitivity, or the capacity to recognize possible issues or detect inconsistencies, is another aspect of reasoning abilities.

 

How to Become a Family Doctor

Step 1: Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

Before applying to medical school, prospective family doctors must get a bachelor’s degree. To apply to and start in medical school, no particular major is necessary. Instead, there is a list of prerequisite courses for admission to medical schools. These classes mostly focus on biology and chemistry. It may also be necessary to take courses in physics, writing, arithmetic, and psychology. Many applicants have majors in one of the two sciences because biology and chemistry make up the majority of the needed classes. However, candidates with any degree can apply to medical school if they have taken the necessary prerequisite courses. In essence, students don’t have to declare a major throughout their undergraduate years, but they should finish pre-medical courses in physics, biology, chemistry, English, and arithmetic. A strong undergraduate GPA is essential to getting into medical school because admission is extremely competitive.

Get experience working at a doctor’s office, hospital, or nursing home while you’re still in college. The Family Medicine Interest Group states that, although it is not usually necessary, job experience in a medical context is increasingly being taken into account when applying to medical schools. The admissions committees at medical schools are frequently impressed by applicants who have volunteer experience or who participated in undergraduate extracurricular activities with a medical focus.

Step 2: Sit for the Medical College Admission Test

Medical schools employ the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required of all applicants, as one of their criteria for selecting which students to accept. The MCAT measures a student’s capacity for problem-solving and critical thought. The multiple-choice test covers biological and physical sciences as well as thinking skills. Additionally, a writing sample is graded throughout the exam.

Step 3: Earn a Medical Degree

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degrees are granted upon completion of medical school, which normally lasts four years. Students’ studies in biochemistry, anatomy, pathology, ethics, pharmacology, and infectious diseases are prioritized in the first two years in both the classroom and the lab. They also receive instruction in doing patient examinations, making diagnoses, and taking case histories. Students begin internships in the second half of medical school, where they provide patient care at hospitals and clinics under the supervision of certified medical professionals. Work schedules during internships and residencies can be demanding, and long shifts, frequently incorporating night work, are not uncommon. Medical students who complete rotations in specialties like family medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, and obstetrics/gynaecology gain a wide range of diagnostic experience.

Step 4: Finish Residency Training

A residency training program is required for future family doctors to continue their clinical education after receiving their medical degrees. Most family medicine residencies last three years, during which time residents diagnose and treat patients in hospitals and clinics while being observed by more experienced physicians. Programs for residents in family medicine concentrate on the illnesses and procedures that family doctors usually see in patients. Clinical rotations in critical care, paediatrics, dermatology, sports medicine, and cardiology are completed by residents. Additionally, didactic learning opportunities like seminars and conferences are part of residency training.

Step 5: Obtain a Medical License

All states require doctors to be licensed, but the qualifications differ. Regular licensure requirements include completing residency training, passing required licensing examinations, and graduating from a recognized medical program. Both the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam and the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam are required of candidates for medical licenses in America.

Step 6: Boost Your Career by Earning a Family Medicine Certification

Some doctors choose to pursue certification as a voluntary step to advance their professional development and employment prospects. Both the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and the American Board of Family Medicine offer certification to family physicians who have completed residency training, received a medical license, graduated from an authorized medical school, and passed the necessary exams. For their continued certification, family doctors must consider continuing education requirements.

Step 7: Obtain a Fellowship in a Related Field (optional).

Physicians have the choice to further sub-specialize in a field of interest after completing their residency. At least a year is spent on this training. Some fellowships, but not all, call for passing an additional board exam. After completing their residency, family doctors have the option of finishing a fellowship. Family medicine doctors can enhance their subspecialization in a particular area of family medicine by completing a fellowship. Fellowships are given for at least a year.

 

Where to Work as a Family Doctor

Family doctors work in hospitals, nursing homes, community health centres, private practice clinics, and government and other health institutions. Family physicians visit hospitals to treat particular patient populations. Additionally, they find employment giving patients in-home care. Numerous family doctors also work in medical research, medical education, occupational medicine, public health, health administration, overseas service, and military service.

 

Family Doctor Salary Scale

In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for a family doctor is about 653,000 NGN. From 320,000 NGN to 1,020,000 NGN are the range of salaries. This is the typical monthly wage, which also includes housing, transportation, and other amenities. The pay for family doctors varies greatly depending on factors like geography, gender, experience, and talents. Family doctors make $216,282 annually in the United States, and their salaries frequently range from $190,502 to $248,209. Similar to Nigeria, these pay ranges can vary significantly depending on a variety of key aspects, such as education, certifications, additional talents, and the length of time you have been in your line of work.

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