Family practitioners work in medical settings. Some find work in hospitals, while others open their own private practices. Still, others work in private practices partnered with other doctors, or below other doctors. Some work as medical professionals for universities, while some choose to be professors at universities. Others find work with the government or non-profit organizations.

In rural settings, family practitioners generally set up their own office to serve the people of a town. These doctors may work full-time or part-time. In urban settings, these doctors can be much busier. Some family practitioners report working well over the standard five-day, forty-hour work week. Family practitioners that work in hospitals have especially long and demanding work schedules.

Most family practitioners report that they love what they do. However, these same doctors report that their workplace is very stressful. In the workplace, family doctors will be interacting not only with patients, but with nurses, office workers, and other medical professionals.