By
Abigail Aaronson
Many patients who get sick wonder if they should make an appointment with a primary care physician or a specialist. General practitioners diagnose and treat a wide range of health maladies for their patients. Their patients may be newborn babies, teenagers, or the elderly. Specialists, on the other hand, focus on one area of treatment or one age group. Some examples are oncologists, cardiologists, orthopedists, obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and geriatric specialists.
Categorized by Treatment Area
Oncologists are doctors who diagnose and treat cancer in their patients. They focus purely on this disease although have patients in every age range and with all types of tumors and malignancies. Cardiologists are specialists who focus on the cardiovascular systems which include the heart, blood vessels, and lungs. Orthopedists focus on the musculoskeletal portions of the body. If you have a broken bone, this is the MD you would see. Obstetricians are doctors who monitor pregnant moms and deliver babies. Gynecologists' treatment focus is on the reproductive tracts of female patients. While a primary care physician could also diagnose and treat many of these conditions and illnesses, he or she would likely refer you to a specialist when your needs are out of his or her range of expertise.
Categorized by Age Groups
Pediatricians are doctors who diagnose and treat children. Their patients are newborns through adolescents. Some kids see the same pediatrician throughout their childhood and teen years. When they become an adult, they switch to a primary care physician who treats mainstream adults. Elderly individuals have specific health concerns that may be optimally addressed by geriatric specialists. When humans age, their skin, muscles, bones, organs, and minds change in various ways. It's sometimes helpful to have a specialist with a firm grasp on aging and elder concerns.
General Practitioner
Many patients prefer to stick with a family doctor over a specialist for a variety of reasons. For one, a relationship can be developed because every family member probably goes to see the same practitioner for every ailment. This allows the medical provider and patients to bond and know each other's history. This can be helpful to the patient because he or she feels comfortable with the family doc. This can be advantageous to the primary care physician because he or she understands the patterns within a family.
Deciding to make an appointment with a primary care physician vs. a specialist is a personal decision. It can also depend on the situation. For typical viruses and infections, a family doc can fit the bill. For complicated life threatening illnesses, sometimes it's better to call in the specialist.
Many patients who get sick wonder if they should make an appointment with a primary care physician or a specialist. General practitioners diagnose and treat a wide range of health maladies for their patients. Their patients may be newborn babies, teenagers, or the elderly. Specialists, on the other hand, focus on one area of treatment or one age group. Some examples are oncologists, cardiologists, orthopedists, obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and geriatric specialists.
Categorized by Treatment AreaOncologists are doctors who diagnose and treat cancer in their patients. They focus purely on this disease although have patients in every age range and with all types of tumors and malignancies. Cardiologists are specialists who focus on the cardiovascular systems which include the heart, blood vessels, and lungs. Orthopedists focus on the musculoskeletal portions of the body. If you have a broken bone, this is the MD you would see. Obstetricians are doctors who monitor pregnant moms and deliver babies. Gynecologists' treatment focus is on the reproductive tracts of female patients. While a primary care physician could also diagnose and treat many of these conditions and illnesses, he or she would likely refer you to a specialist when your needs are out of his or her range of expertise.
Categorized by Age Groups
Pediatricians are doctors who diagnose and treat children. Their patients are newborns through adolescents. Some kids see the same pediatrician throughout their childhood and teen years. When they become an adult, they switch to a primary care physician who treats mainstream adults. Elderly individuals have specific health concerns that may be optimally addressed by geriatric specialists. When humans age, their skin, muscles, bones, organs, and minds change in various ways. It's sometimes helpful to have a specialist with a firm grasp on aging and elder concerns.
General Practitioner
Many patients prefer to stick with a family doctor over a specialist for a variety of reasons. For one, a relationship can be developed because every family member probably goes to see the same practitioner for every ailment. This allows the medical provider and patients to bond and know each other's history. This can be helpful to the patient because he or she feels comfortable with the family doc. This can be advantageous to the primary care physician because he or she understands the patterns within a family.
Deciding to make an appointment with a primary care physician vs. a specialist is a personal decision. It can also depend on the situation. For typical viruses and infections, a family doc can fit the bill. For complicated life threatening illnesses, sometimes it's better to call in the specialist.
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