Family Medicine is the foundation of a family’s health care and wellness. Also known as primary care doctors, family physicians provide comprehensive, continuous health care to all members of the family throughout the course of their lives -- from newborns to the elderly, men and women, and all medical problems. The specialty integrates biological, clinical and behavioral sciences.

More information about the Family Medicine specialty.

Advancing Family Medicine at Northwestern

At Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, our Department of Family Medicine is led with distinction by Russell Robertson, MD.  Established 10 years ago, the department is committed to training family physicians who are equipped to provide high quality care to patients in Chicago-area communities and beyond.  Dr. Robertson and his team are endeavoring to promote the delivery of patient-centered, culturally appropriate care through innovative educational programs, research initiatives, and public service and outreach programs.

In addition to recruiting the best and brightest to the Department’s faculty and building a nationally recognized research program, Dr. Robertson's goals include increasing the number of family physicians teaching in the medical curriculum and creating strong relationships with family medicine clinics in the community. The Department recently established formal affiliations with five community clinics — Alivio Medical Center, Chicago Family Health Centers, Heartland International Health Center, Heartland Heath Outreach, and PCC Community Wellness Center.  These are all federally qualified health centers that provide care and assistance to the underserved—including those in the Hispanic and African American communities, as well as individuals who are homeless.  Physicians working in these community settings are now part of the Department of Family Medicine faculty, and have teaching and research responsibilities as part of their faculty roles.  Feinberg School of Medicine students will have the opportunity to rotate through these clinic settings, working side by side with the community physicians, as part of these new partnerships.

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more about family medicine, we encourage your communication. Additional Web sites and departmental contact information can be found by clicking here. For information on department faculty, click the Faculty link.