The landscape of family medicine in India – A cross-sectional survey study

Bibliographic Data

ID19590885
AuthorsArchna Gupta (0000-0001-5915-7609, St. Michael's Hospital, corresponding author), Raman Kumar (0000-0003-4661-4764, Academy of Family Physicians of India, corresponding author), Ramakrishna Prasad (0000-0003-3196-4227, Academy of Family Physicians of India, corresponding author), Sunil Abraham (0000-0001-7703-1882, christian medical college, vellore, corresponding author), Nisanth Menon Nedungalaparambil (0000-0003-3347-8775, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, corresponding author), Paul Krueger (0000-0003-0585-3363, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Carolyn Steele Gray (0000-0002-2146-0001, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Megan Landes (0000-0003-2944-0491, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Sanjeev Sridharan (0000-0002-0392-3084, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, corresponding author), Onil Bhattacharyya (0000-0001-5219-7288, University of Toronto, corresponding author)
EditorsTasleem Ras (0000-0001-5411-9363)
Year2025
Volume5
Issue1
Pagese0004107
Publication date2025-01-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0004107
PMID39879233
OpenAlexW4406951003
LanguageEN
References cited28

Family medicine was recognized as a distinct specialty in India in the early 1980s, but it is at an early stage of implementation. There are few training programs, and little is known about family physicians’ training, perceptions, and current practices. This paper describes the findings from the first national survey of family medicine in India. We administered the Landscape of Family Medicine in India survey to members of the Academy of Family Physicians of India and used a respondent-driven sampling approach to increase our reach between November 2020 and March 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Chi-square tests of independence were used to explore differences between family physicians who completed full-time in-person training versus those who completed part-time, blended or distance training and to look for associations between services provided and the rurality of practice location. We had 272 respondents. 61.0% of respondents completed a full-time in-person residency program, while 39.0% completed a part-time distance or blended-type program. Most respondents reported that postgraduate training in family medicine increased their confidence in practice, their scope of primary care practice, and the ability to work as a team with non-physician primary care providers, irrespective of the type of training. Family physicians appear to engage in comprehensive practice, with 88.9% practicing outpatient family medicine. Our sample found that the proportion of family physicians working in rural areas is higher than the proportion of all physicians in India, with 39.3% of our sample working rurally. Those who work rurally were more likely to offer minor office-based surgeries, casting and splints, and conduct vaginal deliveries. 48.3% of respondents work principally in the primary care sector. Postgraduate family medicine training should be scaled up to support improving gaps seen in primary care and primary health care

Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Family medicine · Geography · Pathology · Healthcare Policy and Management · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Primary Care and Health Outcomes

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