Family practice is the branch of medicine concerning the total health care of the person and the family. A family practice physician can have a varied and extensive medical background, including internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and geriatrics. A family physician has the skills and knowledge to provide care and health maintenance education for all ages. This physician is trained to diagnose and treat each member of the family, no matter what the problem.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Emphysema, Broncho-Esophagology, Pneumonia, Osteoarthritis , Bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, Asthma, pectus excavatum, osteoporosis, infection, Diabetes, cancer, Acne, Alzheimer's disease, Hypertension, Autism, Yeast infection, Strep throat, Anemia, and Aneurysm.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including wart removal and mole removal.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Bone density test, FAA-Flight Physicial, physicial / check up, physicial, biopsy, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), ultrasound, x-ray, Blood Test, Upper GI (Barium Swallow), stool test, Lower GI (Barium Enema), electrolyte test, microbiological culture, and pH probe test.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Massachusetts has 2,015 practicing family doctors. Broken out by city, family practice doctor density in Abington is 2, in Acton is 8, in Agawam is 5, in Attleboro is 13, in Beverly is 20, in Billerica is 3, in Boston is 249, in Brewster is 7, in Brockton is 45, in Brookline is 10, in Cambridge is 45, in Chatham is 4, in Chelsea is 9, in Chicopee is 2, in Cotuit is 1, in Dartmouth is 1, in Dedham is 8, in Duxbury is 5, in East Falmouth is 2, in East Weymouth is 1, in Easthampton is 2, in Everett is 7, in Fall River is 44, in Fitchburg is 37, in Foxboro is 11, in Franklin is 11, in Gardner is 39, in Gloucester is 5, in Greenfield is 10, in Hadley is 6, in Haverhill is 11, in Hingham is 3, in Holyoke is 24, in Hopkinton is 5, in Jamaica Plain is 9, in Lawrence is 126, in Leominster is 16, in Lexington is 6, in Lowell is 30, in Ludlow is 2, in Lynn is 27, in Lynnfield is 3, in Malden is 44, in Marblehead is 4, in Marlborough is 6, in Mattapan is 1, in Medford is 13, in Medway is 2, in Melrose is 11, in Merrimac is 7, in Methuen is 9, in Middleton is 4, in New Bedford is 16, in Newbury is 4, in Newburyport is 11, in Newton is 13, in Newton Lower Falls is 4, in Newtonville is 1, in North Adams is 6, in North Andover is 15, in North Attleboro is 5, in North Cambridge is 1, in North Falmouth is 1, in North Reading is 1, in Northampton is 28, in Oak Bluffs is 7, in Oxford is 1, in Peabody is 20, in Pittsfield is 21, in Plymouth is 13, in Quincy is 37, in Rehoboth is 5, in Revere is 6, in Salem is 13, in Saugus is 9, in Seekonk is 6, in Somerville is 33, in South Hadley is 1, in South Weymouth is 12, in Southbridge is 13, in Spencer is 2, in Springfield is 42, in Sterling is 5, in Taunton is 6, in Teaticket is 1, in Three Rivers is 1, in Turners Falls is 8, in Waltham is 27, in Ware is 8, in Wareham is 9, in West Boylston is 2, in Westfield is 4, in Westwood is 3, in Wilbraham is 4, in Williamstown is 3, in Winthrop is 1, in Woburn is 8, in Worcester is 226, in Worthington is 4, and in Yarmouth Port is 3.

Massachusetts became the sixth state in the union in 1788, and is steeped in history. Boston, the capital city, is home to Harvard University, the John F. Kennedy Museum and Library, the Paul Revere House, and many other historical sites. Massachusetts is home to the New England Pirate Museum in Salem, the Minute Man National Historical Park, and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, both in Concord. Four past presidents were born in Massachusetts; John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H. W. Bush. Other famous Massachusetts people include actors Leonard Nimoy and Bette Davis, composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, and historical figures Susan B. Anthony, Edgar Allan Poe, Paul Revere, and Benjamin Franklin.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Massachusetts has a population of 6,398,743. Of this population, 1,419,389 are under the age of 18 and 848,924 are at or above the age of 65.