Why Family Medicine
Primary care is the backbone of the health care system. Utilizing primary care physicians puts an emphasis on the physician-patient relationship by shifting the focus from physician-centered care to patient-centered care.
Family physicians act as providers of first contact, catering to the medical needs of the entire family in all aspects of preventive, curative and rehabilitative stages of illness and to health maintenance. The growth of this specialty, however, has lagged behind in Pakistan for various reasons. Having both a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in Pakistan; family physicians should form the frontline force in dealing with these health issues.
The recently established Institute of Family Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi is currently engaged in teaching undergraduate students and in the near future has a plan to start postgraduate training including MCPS, FCPS and Diploma programme in Family Medicine.