First, we have to reinstate the primacy of primary care...Number two, we have to position Harvard Medical School at the apex of health care leadership and practice transformation in this country...Finally, we have to weave health equity into everything we do.
Dean George Q. Daley
Primary care sits at the center of medicine, offering dynamic, relationship-driven career paths that shape the health of individuals and entire communities.
Yet while primary care delivers roughly half of all medical visits in the U.S., it receives only a fraction of our national health-care spending.
This imbalance threatens the foundation of our system - and underscores an urgent need for leaders ready to strengthen, innovate, and champion primary care.
At Harvard Medical School, we believe primary care education is foundational to advancing health care leadership, system innovation, and health equity across the nation — ensuring that future physicians lead positive, systemic change wherever they practice.
At its best, I don’t think any other specialty gives you the chance to use your heart and your head in the way that primary care does. Intellectually, it requires a depth and breadth of knowledge unmatched in any other field and often offers you the first attempt to work up undifferentiated problems.
Martin Viola, MD 2026
Opportunities in Primary Care at HMS
Students can engage with primary care at the pace and depth they choose, supported every step of the way. Explore the rich opportunities available to shape a meaningful path in primary care.
Primary Care Leadership Scholars Program
The Primary Care Leadership Scholars Program at HMS offers students a unique opportunity to train as compassionate, community-oriented physicians committed to health equity and high-quality care for all. Through strong mentorship, longitudinal clinical experiences, and direct access to national leaders in primary care transformation, students gain the skills to deliver outstanding patient-centered care and to lead meaningful change across the healthcare system. For those seeking a career that blends clinical excellence with social purpose, the Primary Care Leadership Scholars Program provides a powerful foundation to make a lasting impact. Applications are invited during the pre-matriculation process.
The opportunities to see primary care practiced in such a diverse range of settings across the greater Boston area and learn from so many passionate and talented primary care physicians has been the single most impactful aspect of my primary care journey at HMS.
Max Yates, MD 2028
Student Leadership Committee
The Harvard Medical and Dental Student Leadership Committee (SLC) empowers Harvard students to become visionary leaders in primary care through hands-on projects, advocacy, and collaboration. By connecting learners and leaders across disciplines, the SLC drives initiatives in health equity, innovation, and community engagement, preparing students to strengthen primary care locally and nationally. With mentorship and institutional support, members also have the opportunity to design and implement their own passion projects, translating ideas into meaningful action.
Together, the SLC builds a vibrant community of students committed to transforming health care for the better.
Family Medicine
Family medicine sits at the center of healthcare, representing nearly 40% of the primary care workforce and offering a powerful blend of science, service, and human connection. As a field rooted in community, continuity, and compassion, it empowers physicians to care for patients across every stage of life, build lasting relationships, address prevention and advocacy, and advance health equity by treating the whole person. At HMS, students exploring family medicine receive strong support through advising, mentorship, clinical opportunities, and a community of faculty committed to this career path.
For those drawn to making a meaningful impact every day, family medicine offers a deeply rewarding professional home — and students are encouraged to reach out to learn more and get connected.
Contact Us
Primary Care Education
Office in Medical Education (OME)
Harvard Medical School
Tosteson Medical Education Center (TMEC)
Suite 384
260 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Email to make an appointment:
erin_farren@hms.harvard.edu
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
In-person: Tuesday & Thursday