Objective  To analyze current situation of human resources for assigned family doctor service in a district of Shenyang city for improving quality of medical service provided by family doctor system.

  Methods  We conducted a questionnaire survey among 312 personnel of 65 groups engaged in assigned family doctor service in community health care centers in a district of Shenyang city.

  Results  There were 5 family doctor groups in each community health care center and 5 to 6 staff in each group averagely. For all the staff surveyed, the proportion of practicing physicians, associated physicians, nurses, and public health workers were 35.90 %, 3.85 %, 40.71 %, and 19.55 %, respectively. About a half (48.08 %) of the staff were less than 30 years old and all most all the staff were female, with a male to female ratio of 8 : 92. Of the staff, 38.14% were employed by governmental institutions; 94.87 % were with the education of university or below; 80.13 % achieved certification for medical practice; and 98.72 % had a monthly income of less than 5 000 RMB yuan. There were 81.73 % of the staff reporting great or general satisfaction with the work they engaged in.

  Conclusion  The structure of medical staff providing community family doctor service is generally reasonable in Shenyang city; but the deficit in number and quality and high personal mobility of the family doctors are problems need to be improved for the promotion of assigned community medical service.