Family Medicine : Medical School Crash Course

PREFACE Historically, family medicine was not always recognized as a separate specialty. In the last several decades, however, there has been a push to define family medicine as a specialty in its own right. This course covers the main issues that are uniquely dealt with by the family physician. Family practice medicine is about the care of chronic diseases, the care of acute illness in the outpatient setting, the care of families as a whole, and the involvement of psychosocial issues in the care of patients of all ages.

The purpose of chapter one in the course is to talk about the various aspects of preventative healthcare. This involves the care of the patient who clinically has no disease but is at risk for illnesses and diseases that can be prevented through preventative healthcare. The wellness examination, immunizations, and cancer screening are all part of providing this type of care to the adult patient and will be covered as part of this chapter.

The focus of chapter two in the course is the history and physical examination of the adult patient. Primarily, this involves performing the examination of the well patient for a routine physical examination, focusing on a head-to-toe examination of all body areas. There are not necessarily any routine blood tests recommended; however, in patients at risk for heart disease, a lipid profile can be done. Screening tests known to be beneficial as part of the examination of the adult include the Pap test, testicular examination, mammography, and