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Family Practice
Family practice is a medical specialty in which general
medical care, counseling, and problem solving is
provided to an individual or family, without regard to
age or as to whether the patient is male or female.
Family practice is a broad area and ranges from work
with infants to caring for people who are dying.
WHAT AREAS OF HEALTH CARE DOES FAMILY
PRACTICE COVER?
FEATURED BOOK: Pocket Primary Care
Family practice involves knowledge of many health care areas such as internal medicine
(the study of organs inside the body and diseases of these organs), pediatrics (the study
of the care and development of children), psychiatry (the study and treatment of
emotional, mental, and behavioral disorders), and gynecology. Gynecology is the study of
the health care of women, including diseases and normal physical care of the female
reproductive system. In addition, family practice usually involves limited amounts of
surgery and work in obstetrics. Obstetrics is the science that deals with the care of
women and their fetuses (developing babies) during pregnancy and childbirth, and during
the events that come before and soon after birth.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAMILY PRACTICE & GENERAL PRACTICE?
Family practice has replaced general practice because the training in family practice is
broader.
"Where Medical Information is Easy to Understand"™
In addition, training opportunities in general practice after graduation
from medical school became limited and there was no way to
become board certified in general practice, unlike in family practice.
Board certified means that one has been recognized by a board of
peers (other doctors in one's area of study) that he/she has met the
rigorous standards necessary to practice in a specific field of study.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAMILY PRACTICE AND
INTERNAL MEDICINE?
Internal medicine deals with health care needs of adults whereas
family practice deals with health care needs of adults and children.
In this context, adults refer to people that are age 18 or above.
WHAT IS SOMEONE CALLED WHO SPECIALIZES IN FAMILY PRACTICE ?
Someone who specializes in family practice is known as a family practitioner. Family practitioner is
sometimes abbreviated as FP. Some people still refer to a family practitioner as a GP (general
practitioner) even though the two are different as described above.
WHAT ELSE IS FAMILY PRACTICE CALLED?
Family practice is also known as family medicine.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM FAMILY PRACTICE ?
Family practice comes from the Latin word "familia" meaning "household," and the Greek word "praktikos"
meaning "practice." Put the two words together and you have "family practice."
