The husband is a family practice doctor while his wife works as the business administrator. Together the couple has built a very successful practice along with raising two kids. As for the kids, their son joined the practice a few years ago as a physician assistant while their daughter just completed her residency and has joined her father as a family medicine physician.
This Florida family is one of a growing number across the country giving new meaning to family practice jobs. What they’ve done is the medical equivalent of the typical “family business” we generally associate with a Midwest farm, a small-town hardware store, or a big city restaurant. It’s a model that has a relatively low number of participants, yet one that is growing as family practice doctors try to balance career and family.
Growing up in a Medical Environment
Perhaps one of the most important factors encouraging the two children to take family practice jobs with their parents is the fact that they grew up in that medical environment. During their school-age years mom would pick up the kids at the end of their day and bring them back to the office, where she would complete her paperwork and the kids would do their homework. They were always part of their parents’ practice so it was a very natural setting for them.
When it came time for them to choose their own careers, medicine was just a natural extension of something they been part of all their lives. Undoubtedly, dad and mom are thrilled to have their children with them in the office as well. As an added bonus, when the two are ready to retire they will be able to pass the practice on to their children who, for the most part, are already familiar with many of the patients their parents have been seeing for years.
As Close to Perfect as Possible
The family-based practice described here is not necessarily the best option for everyone. All family practice jobs have their pros and cons which must be carefully considered when a doctor is laying out his or her career goals. But for families that can make it work, this type of arrangement may seem to be as perfect as it gets.
What this Florida family was able to accomplish is not necessarily extraordinary when you consider that such family enterprises have been going on since the dawn of mankind. But it is somewhat unique in the sense that they did it with medicine. They were able to spend lots of time together as a family, build a medical practice, and share that practice along all the various stages of family growth. They have some great memories, lots of stories to tell, and plenty of anticipation for what the future brings.
