Primary care

Primary care is a term used for the activity of a health care provider who acts as a first point of consultation for all patients. Generally, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are based in the community, as opposed to the hospital. Alternative names for the field are "general practice" and "family medicine", although the terms are not synonymous.

General practitioners in the United Kingdom are physicians who have completed four to five years of post-medical school training including three to four years based in hospitals and one year attached to a training general practitioner in the community.

Family medicine in the United States is a physician specialty that requires a minimum of three years of residency training followed by board certification. This specialty is considered the traditional general medicine specialty in the U.S.

Examples of disorders managed in primary care are:
 * Diabetes mellitus
 * COPD
 * Depression
 * Back pain

Primary care physicians usually include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and at times OB/GYN physicians. It is important to note, however, that the last three of the above specialties are not technically general medicine specialties. These specialties are primary care, but NOT general medicine.