All About Family and General Practitioners
Occupation Description Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.
Family and General Practitioner Responsibilities
- Coordinate work with nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, and other health care providers.
- Refer patients to medical specialists or other practitioners when necessary.
- Train residents, medical students, and other health care professionals.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Plan, implement, or administer health programs or standards in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention or treatment of injury or illness.
- Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems.
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What a Family and General Practitioner Should Know
When polled, Family and General Practitioners say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Family Practice Medical Doctor (FP MD)
- Family Physician
- Doctor
- Internal Medicine Physician
- Primary Care Provider
What Kind of Family and General Practitioner Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 134,800 jobs for Family and General Practitioner in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 19,300 new jobs for Family and General Practitioner by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 5,600 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Family and General Practitioner are Utah, Arizona, and Alaska. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Rhode Island, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Family and General Practitioners Salary
Family and General Practitioners make between $79,600 and $208,000 a year.

Family and General Practitioners who work in Alaska, Arkansas, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Family and General Practitioners in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $211,550 |
Alaska | $227,730 |
Arizona | $209,810 |
Arkansas | $228,620 |
California | $197,860 |
Colorado | $220,960 |
Connecticut | $199,890 |
Delaware | $214,170 |
District of Columbia | $162,830 |
Florida | $216,020 |
Georgia | $190,950 |
Hawaii | $231,750 |
Idaho | $234,810 |
Illinois | $213,340 |
Indiana | $207,480 |
Iowa | $246,670 |
Kansas | $215,450 |
Kentucky | $211,670 |
Louisiana | $217,580 |
Maine | $202,440 |
Maryland | $199,300 |
Massachusetts | $218,340 |
Michigan | $207,110 |
Minnesota | $221,700 |
Mississippi | $227,390 |
Missouri | $191,110 |
Montana | $214,710 |
Nebraska | $237,320 |
Nevada | $202,430 |
New Hampshire | $264,470 |
New Jersey | $224,640 |
New Mexico | $176,120 |
New York | $192,900 |
North Carolina | $221,220 |
Ohio | $193,140 |
Oklahoma | $225,140 |
Oregon | $226,030 |
Pennsylvania | $208,470 |
Rhode Island | $175,250 |
South Carolina | $235,790 |
South Dakota | $214,030 |
Tennessee | $212,900 |
Texas | $213,620 |
Utah | $195,610 |
Vermont | $219,620 |
Virginia | $201,120 |
Washington | $226,600 |
West Virginia | $214,270 |
Wisconsin | $249,110 |
Wyoming | $222,750 |
What Tools & Technology do Family and General Practitioners Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Family and General Practitioners:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Email software
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Epic Systems
- Billing software
- Practice management software PMS
- eClinicalWorks
- SOAPware EMR
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- e-MDs software
- ChartWare EMR
- Practice Partner Total Practice Partner
- MedcomSoft Record
- Epocrates Essentials
- Medical reference software
- Misys Healthcare Systems Mysis Tiger
Becoming a Family and General Practitioner
Individuals working as a Family and General Practitioner have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Family and General Practitioner?

Where Family and General Practitioners Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Family and General Practitioners employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Family and General Practitioner might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Family and General Practitioner sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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