The specialty of family medicine arose out of a combination
of American public and professional
concerns regarding fragmentation of health care and was intended to foster
a type of physician
with a scope of clinical competence that would allow the patient, not the
disease, to be the focus.
Family physicians serve as the patientfs personal physician and provide
entry to the health care system,
provide comprehensive care, maintain continuing responsibility for the
patient including necessary coordination
of care and referral, and provide care appropriate to the patientfs physical,
emotional, and
social needs in the context of family and community. The specialty is currently
second only to internal
medicine in size, and makes a signi?cant contribution to patient care and
medical education. As family
medicine looks to the future, some of its challenges include continuing
to attract medical students to
the specialty, re?ne research themes, and gain further acceptance in academic
medical centers. (Keio J Med 53 (2): 69?73, June 2004) |