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. Minnesota has 3,212 practicing family doctors. Broken out by city, family practice doctor density in Caledonia is 4, in Cambridge is 55, in Canby is 5, in Cannon Falls is 9, in Carlton is 1, in Cass Lake is 13, in Center City is 2, in Champlin is 25, in Chandler is 1, in Chanhassen is 50, in Chaska is 37, in Chatfield is 4, in Chisago City is 53, in Chisholm is 22, in Chokio is 2, in Circle Pines is 8, in Clara City is 8, in Clarissa is 4, in Clarkfield is 7, in Clearbrook is 4, in Clearwater is 26, in Clinton is 3, in Cloquet is 26, in Cokato is 12, in Cold Spring is 27, in Coleraine is 1, in Collegeville is 3, in Columbia Heights is 24, in Cook is 16, in Coon Rapids is 93, in Cottage Grove is 92, in Cromwell is 6, in Crookston is 13, in Crosby is 20, in Crosslake is 25, and in Crystal is 31.

Minnesota has a population of 5,132,799, more than half of which is in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, also called the Twin Cities. Though St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota, Minneapolis is its largest city. Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” so summer water-based activities and winter ice fishing, skating, skiing and snowmobiling are popular in this state. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is located at Minnesota’s northern boundary. When in the Twin Cities, be sure to visit the nearby Mall of America in Bloomington; the most-visited shopping mall in the world.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Minnesota has a population of 5,132,799. Of this population, 1,189,370 are under the age of 18 and 621,336 are at or above the age of 65.