Should everyone in my family share the same primary care doctor?

Everyone in your family typically does not have to share the same primary care doctor. You may opt for different primary care doctor based on the individual needs of family members. A family practitioner, for instance, cares for a variety of health conditions and patients of any age, while a pediatrician specializes in children and adolescents and a geriatrician focuses on older adults.  Some people choose an internist as their primary care physician because they treat adults and have additional specialty training.