What Kind of Doctor Do I Need? Find a Specialist
Finding the Right Doctor for You
Finding the right doctor can be a frustrating challenge. Our bodies' systems are connected in complicated ways. Knowing which specialist is right for which ailment often requires time, research, and expertise. In the following slides, our experts will show you who treats what medical need, introducing many of the common—and surprising—types of doctors, including cardiologists, gynecologists, and bariatricians.
Do You Need a Specialist?
For many, the decision to bring in a medical specialist is determined by one’s health care plan. HMOs require patients to first see a primary care physician, who may then refer them to a specialist. On the other hand, PPO health plans require no referral, allowing patients to choose their own specialist.
Family Physician, Internist, or General Practitioner?
Most people first bring their medical concerns to a primary care physician. There are three main types of primary care physician:
Family Physician
Family physicians treat patients of any age and gender. They often specialize in treating children, women, or the elderly.
Internist
Internists typically treat adults and usually work in clinics and hospitals. They are trained in treating all of the body’s major organ systems.
General Practitioner
General practitioners often decide whether patients can be treated generally, or whether they need a specialist. General practitioners treat patients of all ages and genders.
Know Your Doctor: Cardiologist
Cardiologists specialize in the heart and its related system, including blood vessels.
Diseases and Conditions that Cardiologists Treat
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- High cholesterol
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Heart murmurs
Know Your Doctor: Allergist (Asthma & Allergy Specialist)
Allergists diagnose and treat allergies, asthma and other immune system diseases using allergy tests and other diagnostics.
Common Home and Food Allergies
Allergists help identify the cause of allergies, which can be many, including:
- Dust
- Medicines
- Foods
- Pets
- Pollen
- Latex and other substances
Know Your Doctor: Bariatrician
Bariatricians help patients lose weight. They treat obesity and related disorders.
Diseases and Conditions Bariatricians Treat
- Obesity
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Other lipid disorders
Know Your Doctor: Psychologist vs Psychiatrist
Both psychologists and psychiatrists treat mental health conditions. Both talk you through problems, and both often work together. There are important differences, though.
Differences Between Psychologists and Psychiatrists
- Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs). Psychologists are Doctors of Science who have studied the mind and human behavior (PhDs and PsyDs).
- Because they are medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe medicine, while psychologists cannot.
Know Your Doctor: Pediatrician
Pediatricians specialize in treating children. From immunization and child development to minor health problems and serious diseases, pediatricians are trained for a variety of child-related health needs.
Pediatrician Age Limit
Pediatricians typically treat patients from birth to young adulthood. The exact cutoff varies from doctor to doctor. By age 18, a child can begin seeing an adult primary care physician, but some pediatricians will continue to treat young adults until they graduate college, or until age 21.
Know Your Doctor: Rheumatologist
A rheumatologist is either an internist or a pediatrician who is specially trained to treat autoimmune conditions and musculoskeletal diseases.
Diseases and Conditions Rheumatologists Treat
- Autoimmune disorders
- Arthritis
- Lupus
- Gout
