History of Family Medicine
The American Medical Association approved the creation of the Family Practice specialty in 1969 and the first family physicians were certified in 1970. The specialty is unique in that it was the first specialty to require both a residency program (three years) and a recertification test every 6 years. By 1976 there were 321 approved residency programs with 4675 residents. Of the 119 medical schools, a Department of Family Practice was found in 100 of them.
