A national survey of family physicians across India has revealed significant insights into where family physicians work, the range of services they provide, and the pressing need to strengthen family medicine training. Conducted across 28 states and union territories, the survey collected responses from 272 family physicians, including 44.7 per cent women, and found that over one-third (39.3 per cent) practice in rural areas, suggesting that family medicine training could be a crucial solution for retaining doctors in underserved regions.
The survey has been released on the occasion of the upcoming National Doctors’ Day 2025. This year’s theme, “Behind the Mask: Caring for Caregivers”, highlights the urgent need to recognise and support the well-being of doctors serving at the frontline of India’s primary healthcare system. It also emphasises the importance of expanding training opportunities and improving working conditions for medical professionals.
The findings of the survey align with this theme, underlining the need to strengthen family medicine by prioritising offering postgraduate training seats in family medicine and relatedly creating job opportunities for family physicians to work to their full scope.
The study found that family physicians are delivering a broad spectrum of healthcare services beyond outpatient care, including emergency services (56.3 per cent), hospital inpatient care (68.9 per cent), palliative care (62.0 per cent), and home visits (66.2 per cent). Many also perform medical procedures such as office-based surgeries, casting, vaginal deliveries, and, in some cases, caesarean sections and other surgical interventions.
Despite India’s economic progress, primary healthcare remains fragmented, with rural areas facing severe shortages of qualified medical practitioners. Family medicine, a well-established global approach to primary care, has existed in India for over 30 years, yet remains underdeveloped due to a lack of trained specialists. Expanding postgraduate training programs and job opportunities for family physicians is critical to ensuring accessible and comprehensive primary care nationwide.
The survey findings reinforce the need for expanding postgraduate training seats in family medicine to build a stronger primary healthcare workforce. The National Medical Commission Act 2019 has already mandated the promotion of family medicine education, but the current capacity remains insufficient. A Planning Commission report suggests that India needs to train 15,000 family physicians annually by 2030 to meet its healthcare needs.
Dr Raman Kumar, Founding President, Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI), emphasised the importance of recognising family medicine as a core pillar of India’s healthcare system. “Family physicians are essential in ensuring accessible, high-quality primary care, particularly in underserved regions. Expanding postgraduate training opportunities and recognising family medicine as a specialty is crucial to strengthening India’s healthcare system and addressing workforce shortages.”
Dr Archna Gupta, Clinician Scientist, Upstream Lab, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, stressed the importance of research-driven policy decisions. “This study provides important data on the role and impact of family physicians in India’s healthcare ecosystem. To achieve universal health coverage, it is imperative that policymakers use these insights to shape strategies that strengthen primary care through family medicine.”
Dr Ramakrishna Prasad, Chair, AFPI National Centre for Primary Care Research & Policy and Convener, Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) Alliance, highlighted the urgent need for action, “For India to build a robust and equitable healthcare system, we need to ensure that medical graduates view family medicine as a respected and viable career choice. This requires increasing training seats, creating job opportunities, and integrating family physicians into both government and private healthcare systems.”
The study also challenges concerns that family physicians are more likely to work in secondary or tertiary care settings, with nearly half (48.3 per cent) of respondents working in primary care. These doctors provide comprehensive, cost-effective, and continuous care, ensuring that patients receive consistent treatment across various medical needs, reducing healthcare costs, and improving accessibility.
With family medicine being discussed in multiple national healthcare policy frameworks, including the National Health Policy 2002, the Mehta Committee Report, and the NRHM Taskforce on Human Resource Development, policymakers must take immediate steps to support structured reforms that increase family medicine training seats and create sustainable career pathways for family physicians.
The survey’s findings serve as a call to action for policymakers, medical institutions, and healthcare organisations to prioritise family medicine training and ensure that every community, especially in rural India, has access to qualified primary care specialists. By strengthening family medicine education, India can take a significant step toward achieving universal health coverage and closing healthcare access gaps.
