Career:
Family and General Practitioner
Job 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.
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What Family and General Practitioners do:
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, and examination results.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- 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.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
- 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.
- Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems.
- Prepare government or organizational reports which include birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or medical status of individuals.
- Conduct research to study anatomy and develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures to prevent or control disease or injury.
- Deliver babies.
What work activities does a Family and General Practitioner do?
| Importance | Activities | |
|---|---|---|
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
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Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
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Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
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Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
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Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
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Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
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Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
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Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
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Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
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Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
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Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
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Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
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Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
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Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
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Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
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Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
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Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
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Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
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Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
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Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
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Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
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Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
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Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
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Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
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Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
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Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
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Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
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Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
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Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. |
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