What Does a Family and General Practitioner Do?
Family and general practitioners are physicians whose training and education prepares them to treat patients of any age.
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Job Titles
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Family and general practitioners are virtually the same, although some general practitioners do not focus on pediatric and newborn care.
Description
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Family and general practitioners diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. Their patients can range from infants to senior citizens.
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Duties
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A general practitioner provides physical exams, advises and treats patients with illnesses, injuries or disease, and will refer patients to specialists, if necessary, for the treatment of specific diseases or conditions.
Training
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Family and general practitioners are licensed physicians who have graduated from a medical or osteopathic school. They have received general training in numerous areas throughout their medical residency and extensive training in the area of family or general medicine.
Educational Background
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Individuals interested in family or general practice may pursue a bachelor's degree in a number of fields, though most focus on the sciences (chemistry, biology or psychology). Upon completion of the bachelor's degree, an individual must be accepted into medical school for further instruction before training in a chosen specialty.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Ben Newton
