World Family Doctor Day 2026 celebrates the doctors who are so often the first point of contact within the healthcare system — and frequently the professionals patients trust the most.
Family doctors, also known as specialists in General and Family Medicine (GFM) within primary healthcare, do far more than diagnose and treat diseases. They care for the person, following their patients over time and fostering close relationships with their communities.
General and Family Medicine is guided by values that no technology will ever replace: continuity of care, person-centred care, the integration of the physical, mental, and social dimensions of health, and community engagement. These principles remain essential at a time when healthcare systems are undergoing profound digital transformation.
In 2026, World Family Doctor Day highlights precisely the role of family doctors in a world increasingly shaped by digital technology, bringing the values of compassion, continuity, and person-centred care into the age of artificial intelligence.
At Católica Medical School, students gain close exposure to this reality through clinical rotations dedicated to General and Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare, experiences that are fundamental for the development of clinical reasoning, the doctor–patient relationship, and the understanding of longitudinal and community-based care.
As part of this commitment to medical training, on June 19th, 2026, Católica Medical School will join NOVA Medical School and Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa in the organization of the Tutor of GFM Day 2026.
Under the theme “Prompt for the future: the human touch of GFM in the era of AI”, the meeting will encourage reflection on the impact of artificial intelligence on medical education and clinical practice. At a time when students already use AI tools in their academic daily lives, the event aims to discuss how these technologies can be integrated into the teaching of General and Family Medicine in a critical, ethical, and safe way, while simultaneously strengthening essential clinical skills, critical thinking, and autonomous clinical reasoning.
The event also stems from the desire to bring General and Family Medicine even closer to Medical Schools, bringing together tutors, informal collaborators in GFM clerkships, and colleagues interested in contributing to future medical training. Beyond the scientific program, it will also be a moment of recognition and exchange among the professionals who contribute daily to the training of new generations of family doctors.