Urgent Need for Training Reform by 2030, ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: A first-of-its-kind national survey has revealed a glaring mismatch between India’s primary healthcare needs and its capacity to train family physicians. While 39.3 per cent of India’s family doctors serve in rural areas, the country lacks the training infrastructure to meet the estimated need of 15,000 new family physicians annually by 2030, according to a Planning Commission projection.

The survey, conducted across 28 states and union territories, collected responses from 272 family physicians, offering a rare glimpse into the scale, scope, and struggles of India’s frontline generalists.

Key Findings at a Glance:

–48.3 per cent work in primary care, countering the myth that family physicians prefer urban or tertiary settings.

–68.9 per cent are involved in hospital inpatient care, and 56.3 per cent provide emergency services.

–66.2 per cent make home visits, and 62.0 per cent offer palliative care.

–44.7 per cent of respondents were women, reflecting a gradual shift in gender representation.

The data underscores the wide-ranging responsibilities family physicians undertake—from outpatient consultations to minor surgeries and childbirth—yet remain a chronically under-recognized and under-resourced workforce.

“This data paints a clear picture—family physicians are delivering essential, community-based care. Yet, training opportunities and structured job pathways remain severely lacking,” said Dr. Raman Kumar, Founding President of the Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI).

Despite family medicine being mandated under the National Medical Commission Act 2019, implementation has been slow and inconsistent. The survey calls for urgent reforms, including: expansion of MD/DNB seats in family medicine, integration of family physicians into both public and private health systems and official recognition of family medicine as a core specialty across teaching hospitals

“The clinical reach and diversity of this workforce is immense. This is actionable data that must guide strategic investment in primary care,” said Dr. Archna Gupta, Clinician Scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, Canada.

“To build a resilient healthcare system, family medicine must become a respected, viable career path for medical graduates,” added Dr. Ramakrishna Prasad, Chair, AFPI’s National Centre for Primary Care Research.

The release coincides with National Doctors’ Day 2025, themed “Behind the Mask: Caring for Caregivers”, placing renewed focus on the country’s most overlooked healthcare professionals—its family physicians.

Though long advocated in national policy frameworks—from the National Health Policy 2002 to the NRHM Human Resources Taskforce—family medicine remains under-implemented. The survey serves as a data-backed call to action: Investing in family medicine is not optional—it’s essential for achieving universal health coverage and reducing India’s persistent rural-urban healthcare divide.