# Family Medicine Physicians

US SOC code 29-1215. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/29-1215

Also called: Family doctor, Family physician, Family medicine doctor, Family practice physician, Family practice doctor.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **107,510** US family medicine physicians, with median pay of **$244,180** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **112,010**, in May 2023, close to the May 2025 count. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.graham-center.org/content/brand/rgc/publications-reports/by-topic/workforce) of **112,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for family medicine physicians: Electronic health records + HITECH Meaningful Use, 2009 to 2020. EHR adoption did not reduce FM employment but it materially reshaped how physicians spent their time.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1215&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **37.5%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Family Medicine Physicians employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1820
- Latest US employment: 107,510 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $244,180 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: +3.3% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [28]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 31102)
  - Employment, 2020: 54,325. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 31102 General practitioners and family physicians, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$126,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [15]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 31102 General practitioners and family physicians, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 14 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 112,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Robert Graham Center [1] |
| 1929 | n/a | $5,304 (estimate) | Est., FRASER / Survey of Current Business [9] |
| 1948 | n/a | $15,040 (estimate) | Est., FRASER / Survey of Current Business [9] |
| 1950 | 88,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., KevinMD / historical medical workforce… [2] |
| 1975 | 55,000 (estimate) | $44,800 (estimate) | Est., JABFM (employment) [3]; Est., CMS Health Care Financing Review (pay) [10] |
| 1983 | n/a | $65,000 (estimate) | Est., CMS Health Care Financing Review [10] |
| 2004 | 91,627 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Robert Graham Center [4] |
| 2019 | 109,370 | $205,590 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 98,590 | $207,380 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 102,930 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 100,940 | $211,300 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 112,010 | $224,640 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 107,950 | $238,380 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 107,510 | $244,180 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (58)

### Employment series

1. [Robert Graham Center — "The Physician Workforce of the United States: A Family Medicine Perspective" (historical GP workforce, circa 1900)](https://www.graham-center.org/content/brand/rgc/publications-reports/by-topic/workforce), Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care
2. [KevinMD / historical medical workforce analysis — "The demise of primary care in America" citing AMA data: 87% GPs in 1930s falling to 50% by early 1960s](https://kevinmd.com/2022/12/the-demise-of-primary-care-in-america.html), KevinMD (citing AMA historical workforce surveys)
3. [JABFM — "Remembering 40 Years, Plus or Minus": 375 family practice residency programs established by 1975; workforce growth trajectory documented](https://www.jabfm.org/content/23/Supplement/S5.full), Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
4. [Robert Graham Center — "Family Physicians and the Primary Care Physician Workforce in 2004": 91,627 FPs and GPs; 15% of physician workforce; 1 per 3,202 persons](https://www.graham-center.org/evidence-based-research/publications/one-pagers/fps-workforce-2005), Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [FRASER / Survey of Current Business — Weinfeld (1951): "Income of Physicians, 1929-49"; average civilian physician income 1929 = $5,304; gross median for high earners = $9,000](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/survey-current-business-46), Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRASER / US Bureau of Economic Analysis
10. [CMS Health Care Financing Review — Langwell et al. (1987): "Physician incomes and work patterns across specialties: 1975 and 1983-84"; GP average net income 1975 = $44,800 nominal](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4192917/), CMS / Health Care Financing Review
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
15. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

16. [EBSCO Research Starters — "Laennec Invents the Stethoscope": René Laennec invention 1816; publication of Treatise on Mediate Auscultation 1819; rapid spread to England, Italy, Germany by early 1820s](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/laennec-invents-stethoscope), EBSCO Research
17. [PBS NewsHour — "A Curious Inspiration for the First Stethoscope": origin story, design evolution, and rapid adoption in European and American medical education](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/a-curious-inspiration-for-the-first-stethoscope), PBS NewsHour
18. [Flexner Report — Wikipedia: Carnegie Foundation-funded 1910 report by Abraham Flexner; 155 schools visited; 75% closure over following 25 years; transformed US medical education to university-based science model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexner_Report), Wikipedia
19. [KevinMD — "The demise of primary care in America": Cornell 1950s study showing GP interest dropping 60% to 16% between first and fourth year of medical school; specialization accelerated by expanding knowledge base](https://kevinmd.com/2022/12/the-demise-of-primary-care-in-america.html), KevinMD
20. [ABFM — History of ABFM: founding February 1969; 20th ABMS specialty; Dr. Nicholas Pisacano founding executive director; first certification exam 1970; first board to require recertification](https://www.theabfm.org/about/history-of-abfm/), American Board of Family Medicine
21. [AAFP — History of the AAFP: American Academy of General Practice founded 1947; renamed American Academy of Family Physicians October 3, 1971; specialty recognition February 8, 1969](https://www.aafp.org/about/who-is-the-aafp/history-aafp.html), American Academy of Family Physicians
22. [JABFM — "Remembering 40 Years, Plus or Minus": 375 residency programs by 1975; 95,059 board-certified FPs by 2007; second-largest specialty by count](https://www.jabfm.org/content/23/Supplement/S5.full), Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
23. [NCBI Bookshelf — "U.S. Physician Supply and Requirements: Match or Mismatch?" (NAS): managed care growth in the 1990s and its effects on the primary care physician workforce, gatekeeper role of FPs](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232541/), National Academies of Sciences / NCBI Bookshelf
24. [PMC — "The Rise of Electronic Health Record Adoption Among Family Physicians" (2013): FP EHR adoption doubled 2005-2011; 28% in 2005, 67.8% by 2011; HITECH-driven; fastest adoption of any physician specialty](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3596022/), PubMed Central / Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
25. [AAFP — AI in Family Medicine: documentation burden identified as a primary driver of FM burnout; AAFP resources on AI assistants that reduce documentation and EHR burden](https://www.aafp.org/practice-operations/ai-in-family-medicine), American Academy of Family Physicians
26. [JAMA Network Open (2025) — multi-site RCT: ambient AI scribes reduced after-hours EHR documentation ("pajama time") by 62%; physician satisfaction improved; note quality equivalent or better](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2826592), JAMA Network / American Medical Association
27. [BLS OOH — Physicians and Surgeons: 839,000 total employed 2024; 3% projected growth 2024-2034; about 23,600 annual openings](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

28. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 29-1215 Family medicine physicians (2025: 114.3 thousand; 2035: 118.0 thousand; +3.3%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1215&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
29. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 29-1215.00, human-rated β 0.375)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

30. [Flexner Report — Wikipedia: Carnegie Foundation 1910; 155 schools visited; 75% closure over 25 years; transformed US medical education; disparate racial impact documented by modern scholarship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexner_Report), Wikipedia
31. [AAFP — History of the AAFP: American Academy of General Practice founded 1947 with mandatory CME requirements written into bylaws; renamed American Academy of Family Physicians October 3, 1971](https://www.aafp.org/about/who-is-the-aafp/history-aafp.html), American Academy of Family Physicians
32. [JABFM — "Our 20th Anniversary Year: Remembering the Willard Report" (1989): Willard and Millis Commission Reports of 1966 led directly to 1969 specialty creation; Willard defined family physician scope as 90% of patient care needs](https://www.jabfm.org/content/2/4/288.2), Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
33. [ABFM — History of ABFM: February 8, 1969 approval as 20th ABMS specialty; Dr. Pisacano founding executive director; first exam 1970; first board to require recertification](https://www.theabfm.org/about/history-of-abfm/), American Board of Family Medicine
34. [PMC — "The Rise of Electronic Health Record Adoption Among Family Physicians": HITECH drove adoption from 28% (2005) to 67.8% (2011); fastest-adopting physician specialty; geographic variation 47-95%](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3596022/), PubMed Central / Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
35. [AAMC — 2025 Key Findings: primary care shortage concentrated in rural and underserved areas; consolidation of independent practices into health system employment accelerating post-pandemic](https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/data/2025-key-findings), Association of American Medical Colleges

### Predecessors & successors

36. [ABFM History — family practice specialty created 1969 as the direct institutional successor to the general practice workforce that had been declining since the 1950s](https://www.theabfm.org/about/history-of-abfm/), American Board of Family Medicine
37. [BLS OOH — Medical and Health Services Managers: +29% projected growth 2024-2034; FM physicians transitioning via PCMH leadership and value-based care contracting roles](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Family Medicine Physicians (29-1215.00): tasks, work activities, technology skills, employment data](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1215.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS OOH — Physicians and Surgeons: ~800,000 employed 2024; +3% growth 2024-2034](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [JAMA 2025 multi-site RCT — Ambient AI scribes reduced after-hours EHR documentation ("pajama time") by 62%; physician satisfaction scores improved significantly; note quality equivalent or better](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2826592), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AMA: Augmented intelligence in medicine (updated Jul 9, 2026): AMA policy on healthcare AI oversight, transparency, physician liability and data privacy; AI framed as assistive, enhancing rather than replacing human intelligence](https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital-health/augmented-intelligence-medicine), accessed 2026-10-07
- [NEJM AI — ambient AI scribes reduce documentation burden 2–4 hours per clinical day; diagnostic AI accuracy parity vs. senior residents in controlled studies (2025-2026)](https://ai.nejm.org/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Freed AI — 30,000+ independent clinician users by 2025; ambient scribe built for independent and small-practice FM; flat $99/mo; integrates with Athenahealth and Practice Fusion](https://www.getfreed.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [McKinsey — Economic Potential of Generative AI in Healthcare (2025 update): $35-40B near-term value in clinical documentation; primary care is the largest ambulatory volume segment](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-in-healthcare), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Suki AI — deployed at 150+ health systems; FM-specific well-child visit and HEDIS gap documentation use cases published (Suki.ai 2025; Fierce Healthcare Oct 2025)](https://www.suki.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Epic AI — GPT-4-powered MyChart In-Basket assistant drafts patient message responses; deployed across Epic customer base; 30-40% in-basket time reduction reported at pilot health systems (Healthcare IT News Apr 2026)](https://www.epic.com/software/patient-experience/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Surescripts 2025 Annual Impact Report — Prior Authorization Automation: 18-second median approval time; 34% automated approval rate; 68,000+ active prescribers at 42 health systems](https://surescripts.com/insights/2025-annual-impact-report), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.