Family Medicine Physicians
Also called: Board Certified Family Physician, DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician), Doctor, Family Medicine PCP (Family Medicine Primary Care Physician), Family Medicine Physician, Family Physician, Family Practice Medical Doctor (FP MD), Family Practice Physician (FP Physician)
Diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan.
What family medicine physicians do
Typical 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.
- Prepare government or organizational reports which include birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or medical status of individuals.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Family Medicine Physicians salary
The median annual wage for family medicine physicians is $244,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $76,830 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $428,550. The mean annual wage is $255,820.
The mean hourly wage of $122.00 is 16.8× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Family Medicine Physicians (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $244,180 → in 3 years $268,000 → in 5 years $285,100 → in 10 years $332,800 (10-year range $286,200–$386,400). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Family Medicine Physicians
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Family Medicine Physicians? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Family Medicine Physicians
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Family Medicine Physicians
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 5 — extensive preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become family medicine physicians
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as family medicine physicians
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.