Can Family Medicine Doctors Specialize. The association of american medical colleges predicts a shortage of between 21,100 and 55,200 primary care physicians by 2032. General internal medicine is considered one of the primary care disciplines, along with pediatrics, family medicine, and general obstetrics and gynecology.
They see babies, children, parents and grandparents. At one time, the family doctor or generalist fulfilled that role. Family medicine forms part of primary health care, with the american academy of family physicians (aafp) describing family doctors as being ‘dedicated to treating the whole person’.