Considered the most versatile of all physician specialties, family medicine provides comprehensive medical care to patients of all genders and all ages. This wide range of diversity is not only limited to patients, but also includes the care they receive and the family physicians who provide it.
As multipurpose specialists, family physicians also need to be flexible. They deliver care in a variety of settings, from office practices and hospitals to in-patient facilities and health centers. As the needs of their communities and patients evolve, family physicians are able to adapt their procedures and skills to meet those needs, tailoring their clinical services to patients and their situations.
Explore the following tables to see the breadth of diversity and variety that AAFP members and their practices bring to our speciality..
The AAFP has approximately 130,000 members, including active members, residents, and students.
See Table 1: 2024 AAFP Membership Category »
The AAFP has a diverse membership of men and women of various ages practicing in urban and rural settings.
See Table 2: Demographic Characteristics of AAFP Members »
Members represent different ethnicity, races, and sexual orientation.
See Table 3: Ethnicity/Race and Sexual Orientation of AAFP Members »
Members practice medicine in a variety of settings, including private clinics, emergency departments, solo practices, and hospital systems.
See Table 4: Selected Practice Characteristics of Active AAFP Members »
Practice location, size, and experience all factor into the range of income our family physician members take home.
See Table 5: Family Physician 2017 Income Before Taxes »
On average per week, family physicians have 82 patient encounters—see how it breaks down into office visits, hospital visits, in-patient calls, and more.
See Table 6: Average Number of Family Physician Patient Encounters Per Week by Setting »
Members see patients with a variety of insurance coverage from traditional health plans to Medicaid and Medicare, as well as the uninsured.
See Table 7: Patient Health Care Insurance Coverage »
More than 86 percent of members are accepting new Medicare patients.
See Table 9: Acceptance of Medicare Patients »
More than 70 percent of members are accepting new Medicaid patients.
See Table 10: Acceptance of Medicaid Patients »
Members perform a variety of services in their practices including care of infants, children, adolescents, geriatrics, and urgent care.
See Table 11: Clinical Services Performed by Physicians »
Members perform a variety of procedures in their practices including dermatologic procedures and physical therapy.
See Table 12: Clinical Procedures Performed by Physicians at their Practice »
More than 41 percent of member physicians have hospital admission privileges.
See Table 13: Hospital Admission Privileges »
Sixteen percent of members report delivering babies, and those members delivered six babies on average in 2017.
See Table 14: Number of Babies Delivered »