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. Iowa has 2,027 practicing family doctors. Broken out by city, family practice doctor density in Adel is 4, in Altoona is 8, in Ames is 30, in Ankeny is 31, in Arlington is 5, in Atlantic is 8, in Audubon is 2, in Aurelia is 2, in Bedford is 5, in Bettendorf is 75, in Bloomfield is 5, in Blue Grass is 8, in Bondurant is 3, in Boone is 14, in Burlington is 4, in Carroll is 11, in Cedar Falls is 32, in Cedar Rapids is 144, in Chariton is 6, in Cherokee is 8, in Clarinda is 9, in Clinton is 23, in Clive is 43, in Coralville is 8, in Correctionville is 2, in Corydon is 10, in Council Bluffs is 37, in Creston is 8, in Dallas Center is 2, in Davenport is 112, in De Witt is 19, in Decorah is 16, in Denison is 9, in Des Moines is 316, in Dubuque is 34, in Dunlap is 8, in Emmetsburg is 6, in Fairbank is 6, in Fairfield is 8, in Fort Dodge is 38, in Fort Madison is 11, in Gladbrook is 6, in Glenwood is 10, in Greenfield is 4, in Grinnell is 11, in Hawarden is 11, in Hiawatha is 12, in Holstein is 3, in Hull is 9, in Huxley is 2, in Independence is 9, in Indianola is 22, in Iowa City is 125, in Iowa Falls is 14, in Ireton is 3, in Johnston is 18, in Keokuk is 9, in Knoxville is 20, in Le Claire is 3, in Le Mars is 9, in Leon is 4, in Lone Tree is 17, in Malvern is 3, in Manchester is 13, in Mapleton is 6, in Maquoketa is 15, in Marcus is 8, in Marion is 15, in Mason City is 88, in Muscatine is 23, in Newton is 23, in North Liberty is 23, in Norwalk is 7, in Oelwein is 8, in Oskaloosa is 15, in Ottumwa is 9, in Pella is 24, in Perry is 21, in Pleasant Hill is 10, in Sergeant Bluff is 6, in Seymour is 2, in Sibley is 4, in Sioux Center is 12, in Sioux City is 97, in Sloan is 2, in Spencer is 18, in Spirit Lake is 17, in Storm Lake is 12, in Stuart is 4, in Toledo is 6, in Urbandale is 48, in Vinton is 7, in Waterloo is 99, in Waukee is 6, in Waukon is 6, in Waverly is 12, in West Burlington is 15, in West Des Moines is 51, in Windsor Heights is 4, and in Winterset is 7.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.