I've been perusing these boards (and others) for awhile because I am struggling with going back to school (I'm only 22, but already questioning my non-medical career options) to become an MD or possibly a pa or physical therapist.
If I were to pursue med school, I would almost certainly specialize in family practice, pediatrics, or psychiatry and I would eventually want to practice in an outpatient clinic in a smaller city (maybe 80-150,000 pop.). I just wanted to get a sense of some elements of family practice. Is it possible to get FP residencies in outpatient settings that don't totally destroy your home life for those years (maybe 60 or fewer hours per week - I worry that my residency would fall about the time I want to start having children)?
And once you start practicing in family practice, is it possible to pay off your med school debts without practicing really heavy hours (hopefully 50 or fewer hours a week, starting closer to 50, then working closer to 40ish as the debts go down)?
Basically, I find myself really fantasizing about being a doctor and I can't stop reading and researching it (and I'm setting up some shadowings and looking for volunteer opportunities), but I have always known that my first priority will be my own family. I am already quite certain I have found the person I will be spending the rest of my life with and I want to know that I could still have the life I need with that person if I were to take this step.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

If you are going to pursue any type of physician practice, make sure it is what you want, that nothing else will suffice. It may not take everything away from your family, but it will demand much of your time, patience, money and it will stress you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. There aren't many other professions that demand such a wide chunk of YOU.

If you decide to pursue FM, know that you can pay back your loans, you will likely be able to find a practice that will fit your lifestyle. I love family medicine but I would be miserable if I didn't think this is what I was meant to do.

Agreed. Make sure it's the ONLY thing that will make you happy. There's LOTS of very similar jobs that require much less of you and your life.

Remember "The Machine" from "The Princess Bride"? When strapped to it, it sucked years of life out of your body? The preparation for the career of a physician is like "The Machine". You could be any of a number of types of nurse, a social worker (for psych) or other kinds of jobs that offer similar benefits as being a doc, but require much less effort and pain along the way.

Is it possible to get FP residencies in outpatient settings that don't totally destroy your home life for those years

All accredited FP residencies must meet the same requirements for inpatient and clinic rotations; there's no getting around it. In general, call requirements get better each year, with the intern year being the most demanding. Still, most FP residencies are far less "malignant" than many internal medicine or surgical programs (although I'm sure exceptions exist...that's what interviews are for).

is it possible to pay off your med school debts without practicing really heavy hours

I suppose that depends on how much money you owe and what sort of lifestyle you expect to maintain. In general, you shouldn't have any problems paying off your loans, exceptional circumstances notwithstanding.