Family Medicine Physician

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.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: 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; Physician; Primary Care Physician

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.
• Coordinate work with nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, and other health care providers.
• Plan, implement, or administer health programs or standards in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention or treatment of injury or illness.
• Train residents, medical students, and other health care professionals.

Knowledge

• Medicine and Dentistry
• English Language
• Therapy and Counseling
• Biology
• Psychology
• Customer and Personal Service
• Computers and Electronics
• Mathematics
• Education and Training
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Law and Government

Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Writing
• Speaking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Science
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Written Expression
• Speech Clarity
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Information Ordering
• Flexibility of Closure
• Selective Attention
• Fluency of Ideas
• Originality
• Category Flexibility
• Perceptual Speed
• Time Sharing