Regional study analyzes family and community medicine training and practice in the Americas

Washington, D.C., April 9 2026 (PAHO) - A regional study conducted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in partnership with the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) - Ibero-American and North America Regions, and the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for Innovative Health Workers Education, Service and Research Models at the University of New Mexico, analyzes the current state of training, professional practice, and working conditions in family and community medicine (FCM) across the Americas. The study identifies persistent gaps as well as strategic opportunities to strengthen the health workforce and health systems based on primary health care (PHC).

The findings of the study "Family and community medicine workforce training and practice in the Americas" were presented and discussed during a webinar, which brought together more than 230 participants from 39 countries, including representatives from professional associations, academic institutions, health authorities, professionals and experts in family and community medicine and in human resources for health from across the Region.

"Primary health care is the cornerstone of equitable, resilient, and people-centered health systems. And it is through interprofessional teams-committed to the communities they serve-that PHC is translated from policy into practice. Within those teams, family and community medicine is a foundational and irreplaceable component," said Mary Lou Valdez, Deputy Director of PAHO, during the opening of the virtual seminar.

In this context, Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), emphasized that family and community medicine constitutes a strategic pillar for building stronger, more resilient, and more equitable health systems. She noted that, despite progress in the Region, significant gaps remain in the integration and support of the specialty within health systems, with direct implications for access and equity.
For his part, Arthur Kaufman, from the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center at the University of New Mexico, underscored that the study offers, for the first time, a comprehensive regional overview with comparable and up-to-date data on family and community medicine training and practice. He noted that this evidence is critical to inform curricular reforms, strengthen accreditation systems, and improve professional practice environments across the Region.

Benjamín Puertas, Unit chief of Human Resources for Health at PAHO, presented the study's most relevant findings. Entitled Family and community medicine workforce training and practice in the Americas, the study provides an in-depth examination of training ecosystems and practice environments in 23 countries, with the participation of 19 professional associations and 291 specialists. The findings show that while family and community medicine has become a strategic pillar for comprehensive, continuous, and person-centered care, significant challenges persist regarding professional recognition, access to continuing education, incorporation of emerging competencies, and working conditions.

Among the key findings, the study highlights that training in family and community medicine is primarily delivered through specialization and residency programs. However, more than half of specialists in Central America, the Latin Caribbean, and Mexico report limitations in research training and limited access to continuing education opportunities and the use of clinical protocols.

With regard to professional practice, the findings point to limited implementation of policies aimed at promoting well-being, retention, and career development for family and community medicine professionals. Many specialists report high workloads, job insecurity, inadequate remuneration, and insufficient infrastructure, factors that affect both professional well-being and the problem-solving capacity of primary care services. Working conditions also remain a concern: only 36.8% of countries have implemented well-being and retention policies for this workforce, and the unequal distribution of specialists continues to limit access to care in rural and underserved communities.

"This study provides key evidence to guide health and human resources policies in the Region; strengthening training and working conditions in family and community medicine is essential to consolidating interprofessional teams and more resilient integrated health service networks," noted James Fitzgerald, Director of the Department of Health Systems and Services at PAHO, at the close of the webinar.

The event fostered a regional dialogue focused on translating evidence into concrete actions to strengthen family and community medicine as a structural pillar of PHC. This work is framed within PAHO's Health Workforce Policy 2030: Strengthening Human Resources for Health to Achieve Resilient Health Systems, which sets out a roadmap to strengthen governance, advance the training and integration of interprofessional teams, develop health workforce competences, improve working conditions, and promote a more equitable distribution of the health workers across the Americas.