A Quick Look at the Different Types of Doctors

The medical field endorses numerous types of doctors and medical specialties. With such a vast array, patients can be sure that the medical treatment they receive is from the most highly qualified doctors available.

Family Physicians

Family physicians diagnose and treat a wide variety of illnesses and diseases, focusing not only on a single individual but on taking care of a entire family. They receive a broad range of training, from internal medicine to psychiatry. A large part of a family physician's goal is prevention - they would rather a problem not occur at all rather than try to diagnose it after it appears.

Pediatricians

Pediatricians are specialists in preventing illnesses in healthy children, and in providing medical care and support for those children who are seriously ill. They diagnose and treat everything from infections to genetic defects, and they work to lower infant mortality and foster healthy lifestyles.

Emergency Medicine

Emergency physicians are the doctors you see with in a pre-hospital setting or in an emergency room following a car crash, a fire, or anywhere that an EMT team is called. They direct the EMTs in an effort to prevent death and serious injury at sites like these.

Internal Medicine

Doctors who specialize in internal medicine are have been trained to identify and treat common and complex illnesses of adolescents, adults, and the elderly. They have been trained to help with diseases affecting the organs, as well as cancer and infections. They are also trained to be primary doctors, having knowledge of disease prevention, mental health, and wellness.

Obstetricians/Gynecologists

OB/GYNs are trained to use both medical and surgical skills to help with womens' health. They have studied a woman's life cycle from a child to post-menopausal years, and take care of women of all ages, and perform surgical procedures when necessary as well as conducting diagnostic and preventive measures. OB/GYNs also are commonly identified as doctors associated with childbirth. These types of doctors have a large range of sub specializations, such as gynecological oncologists, who deal with cancer of the reproductive system, and reproductive endocrinologists, who help alleviate hormone and fertility problems.

Orthopedic Surgeons

Orthopedic surgeons are trained in the restoration of the spine and extremities by various medical and surgical means. They also deal with congenital deformities, muscular problems, trauma, and degenerative diseases in children and adults.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists specialize in preventing and treating mental illness, addiction, and emotional disorders. Unlike a psychologist, a psychiatrist is able to order lab tests and prescribe medicine. Psychiatrists may also do things like intervene with families who are coping with major stress or crises.

Surgeons

Surgeons undergo training to operate on the body, acquiring at least a general knowledge of the entire body and being able to specialize in specific areas such as the heart, brain, or spinal column. These types of doctors provide care for a patient all the way from pre-operation treatment through to post-operation recovery. They are also usually responsible for trauma victims and critically ill surgical patients.