Family Medicine Defined
Family Medicine is a discipline of Medicine with distinct core knowledge and characteristics of care, which refers to individuals, family, and community, and functions within economic, cultural and societal environments and resources. Its curricular framework indicates that elements of traditional clinical disciplines (such as Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetrics & Psychiatry) are held together by interdisciplinary features with emphasis on prevention, modern epidemiology, psychological medicine, social & cultural factors in healthcare & delivery system. Family Medicine as an academic discipline is strengthened by research with areas of interest include Clinical Problems, Health Care Delivery, the Impact on the Family and Role of the Family in Medicine and Family Practice Approach.
Family Medicine Training and Continuing Education
Family Medicine residency program is a 3-year program, which covers different rotations. Methods of instructions include supervised patient care, conferences, and group discussions, research, family visits and community immersions. The training integrates inpatient and outpatient clinical exposures with stronger emphasis on Family Health Care, Emergency Medicine and Community Health. Graduates are required to be a member of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians in order to be may be noted a Certified Family Physician (CFP) and eligible to take the Specialty Board Examinations in Family Medicine. A Diplomate rank is awarded to a CFP who has passed the specialty board examination and has fulfilled all other requirements for Diplomate in Family Medicine. A Fellow title is awarded to a Diplomate in Family Medicine who completed all the further requirements set by the organization.
Family Practice and Family Physician in the Philippines
Family Practice is providing continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family practice encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity. The Family Physician 1) may act as Health Care Provider clinical practice and be affiliated in hospitals, 2) may do home visits to families and act as Decision Maker and justify the efficacy and cost of medical treatment to the patient, 3) may be an Educator on lifestyle aspects such as a balanced diet, safety measures at work, type of leisure pursuits, respect for the environment and so on all have a determining influence on health, 4) may act as a Social Mobilizer determining the needs and problems of a whole community and take a positive interest in community health activities which will benefit large numbers of people, and 5) may act as Manager to initiate exchanges of information in order to make better decisions, and to work within a multidisciplinary team in close association with other partners for health and social development. Both old and new methods of dispensing care will have to be integrated with the totality of health and social services, whether destined for the individual or for the community.
Filipino Family Physicians Organizations
Filipino Family Physicians are members of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. with principal office in #2336 Marconi St., Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It has Chapter Organizations including the PAFP Panay Chapter under which the Saint Paul's Hospital Family Medicine Family are affiliated.The academy helds an annual convention in Metro Manila during the third (3rd) Thursday of February of each year and Midyear Conventions every other year hosted by any of its Chapters in the provinces.
