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. Illinois has 4,963 practicing family doctors. Broken out by city, family practice doctor density in Altamont is 3, in Alton is 30, in Aurora is 109, in Batavia is 6, in Belleville is 97, in Belvidere is 30, in Berwyn is 65, in Bloomington is 81, in Blue Island is 14, in Breese is 4, in Calumet City is 15, in Canton is 15, in Carbondale is 51, in Carterville is 6, in Centralia is 11, in Champaign is 70, in Chicago is 1,354, in Chicago Heights is 39, in Cicero is 17, in Clinton is 11, in Columbia is 7, in Crystal Lake is 25, in Danville is 59, in Decatur is 79, in Des Plaines is 56, in Dixon is 17, in East Moline is 21, in Edwardsville is 11, in Effingham is 24, in Elgin is 49, in Elmhurst is 25, in Elmwood is 1, in Eureka is 20, in Evanston is 26, in Fairbury is 15, in Freeport is 21, in Galesburg is 31, in Geneva is 26, in Granite City is 15, in Harvard is 13, in Herrin is 22, in Highland is 7, in Highland Park is 11, in Jacksonville is 13, in Joliet is 56, in Kankakee is 20, in Kewanee is 8, in Lincoln is 12, in Lockport is 2, in Loves Park is 15, in Macomb is 12, in Marion is 22, in Mattoon is 21, in Moline is 55, in Morris is 12, in Mount Carroll is 2, in Mount Vernon is 23, in Murphysboro is 17, in Naperville is 111, in Newton is 1, in Normal is 49, in North Chicago is 9, in Oregon is 5, in Ottawa is 11, in Palos Heights is 15, in Park Ridge is 58, in Pekin is 27, in Peoria is 131, in Peru is 4, in Polo is 3, in Pontiac is 16, in Princeton is 6, in Quincy is 68, in Robinson is 7, in Rochelle is 13, in Rock Island is 11, in Rockford is 160, in Rolling Meadows is 7, in Salem is 11, in Sandwich is 12, in Silvis is 18, in Springfield is 142, in Sterling is 19, in Sullivan is 5, in Sycamore is 11, in Toulon is 2, in Troy is 6, in Urbana is 71, in Vandalia is 8, in Warrenville is 11, in Washington is 19, in Waterloo is 5, in Watseka is 6, in Waukegan is 21, in West Frankfort is 17, in Wheaton is 69, in Wood Dale is 7, in Woodstock is 20, in Yorkville is 11, and in Zion is 10.

Most people think that Chicago, because of its size and popularity, is Illinois’ capital city, but that distinction belongs to Springfield, home of the Abraham Lincoln Museum. Illinois has hundreds of museums, numerous yearly art and ethnic festivals, a lakeshore bordering Lake Michigan, and the many national forests and parks that offers visitors camping, horseback riding, biking, kayaking, and fishing. Chicago is home to the Sears Tower, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and other cultural opportunities and restaurants in the Navy Pier area.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Illinois has a population of 12,763,371. Of this population, 3,172,677 are under the age of 18 and 1,523,937 are at or above the age of 65.