Physician responsible for diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the kidney.

Key takeaways:

• There are many types of medical specialists and subspecialists, and it can be difficult to know which specialist you may need to see.    

• Medical specialists like internists, family medicine physicians, and pediatricians promote healthy living and treat disease with medications. Surgical specialists like general surgeons focus on conditions that may need a procedure or surgery.

• Within medical and surgical specialists, there are also different subspecialists who may focus on a particular body system, organ, or specific type of medical condition.  

Table of contents

There are many types of medical specialists. It can be hard to know what a particular specialist does — and which is best for your specific medical problem. There are two main categories of specialists — medical specialists and surgical specialists. And those then have many different specialties within them. Read on to learn about common clinical specialties and the differences between them.

Medical specialists identify and treat diseases with medications, diet, or lifestyle changes. For some, a big part of their care is also promoting health and preventing disease. Within the group of medical specialists, there are many different categories and subspecialties.

There are three medical specialties: internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics. Within each of these, specialists may choose to focus on a particular organ or disease, like the heart or a specific type of cancer. These are called “subspecialists.” 

Internal medicine

Internal medicine specialists take care of adults only. These specialists focus on preventive care and the treatment of disease. Some internal medicine specialists focus on primary care or in-hospital care. Others further subspecialize and focus only on medical problems related to specific organs or body systems. 

Family medicine

Family medicine specialists are similar to internal medicine specialists. But they also take care of babies, children, and in some cases, pregnant women. Family medicine specialists also focus on primary care and preventive medicine. In some areas, family medicine specialists may also deliver babies.

Pediatrics

Pediatric specialists focus on caring for babies and children up to 18 years old. Pediatric specialists focus on primary care, childhood development, and preventive medicine. Pediatric specialists can be a great resource for parents in many situations. Like internal medicine specialists, pediatric specialists can focus on general childhood medicine. Or they can subspecialize and focus on specific medical problems in children. 

Medical subspecialties

Medical subspecialties tend to focus on the care of medical problems related to a specific body system. There are many different subspecialties. Some subspecialties are specific to adults, while others are unique to children. But many of the subspecialties are the same for both kids and adults.

Allergy and immunology

Allergy and immunology specialists focus on care of the immune system. They care for both children and adults. They identify and treat problems involving the immune system. Examples include performing allergy testing, managing allergy treatment, as well as diagnosing and treating asthma. They also diagnose and treat problems of low immune system function.

Cardiology

Cardiology specialists focus on care of the heart and cardiovascular system. These specialists manage heart problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and abnormal heart rhythms. They can perform and interpret results of heart tests, like stress testing and echocardiograms. Some cardiologists also perform procedures, like cardiac catheterization, pacemaker placement, and arrhythmia ablation.

Dermatology

Dermatology specialists focus on the care of medical problems related to the skin, hair, and nails. These specialists diagnose and treat skin problems, including skin cancer. They can perform some procedures, like skin biopsies. Sometimes they also do minor surgery.

Endocrinology

Endocrinology specialists focus on medical problems related to the various hormonal (endocrine) systems in the body. Some examples of hormones include insulin, glucagon, cortisol, and thyroid hormones. These specialists can help identify and treat hormone imbalances. Endocrinology specialists often care for people with diabetes or thyroid problems. Other common conditions endocrinologists might treat include obesity, cholesterol problems, and disorders of growth, sexual function, or reproduction.

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology specialists focus on diagnosing and treating problems of the gastrointestinal system, including the: 

• Esophagus

• Stomach

• Intestines

• Liver

• Gallbladder

• Pancreas 

Some of the specialists may subspecialize even further and focus on one specific organ. For example, a hepatologist is a gastroenterologist who specializes in diseases of the liver. Gastroenterologists treat gastrointestinal problems with medications. But they can also perform invasive procedures, like endoscopy or colonoscopy.

Geriatric medicine

Geriatric medicine specialists focus on the care of older adults. These specialists identify and treat medical conditions that are common or specific to older age. Sometimes these specialists can help people over age 65 who have several medical problems.

Hematology/oncology

Hematology/oncology specialists focus on diagnosing and treating blood disorders and many different types of blood cancers. They manage cancer treatment, like chemotherapy. They may perform invasive procedures, like bone marrow biopsy. These specialists often work on cancer research. 

Infectious disease

Infectious disease specialists focus on the care of people with illnesses related to infection. These specialists diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases due to infection. They may specialize in certain types of infections. Common diseases that infectious disease specialists treat include HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Often these specialists can help other medical professionals manage diseases that may be less familiar to them. They often have a role in public health within their communities.

Nephrology

Nephrology specialists focus on diagnosing and treating problems related to kidney function. Examples of kidney problems include chronic kidney disease and acute kidney failure. These specialists also manage dialysis and may perform some invasive procedures related to dialysis.

Neurology

Neurology specialists care for medical problems of the nervous system. They specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Some specialists focus on the brain, while others work primarily with people who have a spinal cord injury. These specialists can also perform procedures, like a lumbar puncture or electromyography (EMG). Some specialists within this group may also focus on a particular type of medical problem, like dementia, stroke, or migraines.

Oncology

Oncology specialists care for people with cancer. While hematology-oncologists treat blood cancers, oncologists treat cancers in other body systems. Within this group, there are also many different subspecialists. For example, medical oncologists treat cancer with chemotherapy. Radiation oncologists use radiation therapy, and surgical oncologists treat cancer with surgery. There are also oncology specialists within other clinical fields, like: 

• Pediatric oncologists

• Breast oncologists

• Gynecologic oncologists

• Neuro-oncologists

• Urologic oncologists 

Palliative care

Palliative care specialists focus on increasing comfort and the quality of life for people with illness — at any stage of disease. Some of these specialists focus on hospice care, which is palliative care for people with terminal illness in their last 6 months of life. Palliative care is often combined with other medical treatments.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists are known as physiatrists. Similar to neurologists and rheumatologists, these specialists help treat problems of the brain, spinal cord, as well as muscles and bones. But unlike neurologists and rheumatologists, these specialists focus on conditions associated with disability. And they help design a treatment plan so you can regain as much physical function as possible after injury or stroke.

Psychiatry

Psychiatrists are medical specialists who focus on mental health. Psychiatrists can diagnose and treat mental illness as well as emotional and behavioral disorders. Some psychiatrists treat adults, while others specialize in treating children or teenagers. Psychiatrists can treat patients with psychotherapy, medications, and occasionally procedures such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Pulmonology

Pulmonology specialists focus on diagnosing and treating lung diseases. They may specialize in critical care. These specialists can also perform medical procedures, like bronchoscopy, to help diagnose and treat lung problems. 

Rheumatology

Rheumatology specialists focus on identifying and treating disease that affect connective tissues, including: 

• Joints

• Bones

• Muscles

• Tendons

• Ligaments 

Many of the diseases they treat are autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and lupus. They can also treat other conditions, like osteoarthritis. 

Pediatric subspecialties

Many of these subspecialties are the same for children. But there are some subspecialties that are unique to pediatrics. Examples of subspecialties that focus only on pediatrics include:

Adolescent medicine

Adolescent medicine specialists focus on medical and emotional problems that children may have during their teenage years. These specialists often work on research.

Child abuse pediatrics

Child abuse specialists focus on cases of possible child abuse. These specialists work with other teams — including social workers and law enforcement — to diagnose and manage cases of possible and confirmed child abuse.

Developmental and behavioral pediatrics

Developmental and behavioral specialists diagnose and treat children of all ages with developmental or behavioral problems. Examples of conditions that these specialists can manage include learning disabilities, attention-deficit disorder, and Tourette’s syndrome. Among many others, they also manage cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and delayed motor or speech development.

Neonatology

Neonatology specialists focus on the care of high-risk newborns. These specialists often care for newborns who are premature or have a birth defect. Sometimes neonatology specialists are involved even before birth, especially if a baby is expected to have a high-risk medical problem. 

Surgical specialists

Surgical specialists focus on medical problems that need surgery, when medication alone can’t treat them. There are many different types of surgical specialists. Like medical specialists, these specialists each focus on a body system.

General surgery

General surgeons treat a wide variety of problems that, among others, involve organs of the abdomen, the skin and soft tissues, breast, and neck. General surgeons perform surgery, but they may also do other procedures, like endoscopy. Some general surgeons can further specialize to focus on trauma surgery, breast surgery, cancer surgery, or critical care. 

Surgical subspecialties

Colon and rectal surgery

Colorectal surgeons specialize in treating diseases of the: 

• Intestinal tract

• Colon

• Rectum

• Anal canal

• Perianal area 

For some types of medical problems in these areas, colorectal surgeons can prescribe medications. For other types of medical problems they may perform surgery or an endoscopic procedure, like a colonoscopy. 

Pediatric surgery

Pediatric surgeons are like general surgeons. But they treat diseases that need surgery in children instead of adults. Many of the other surgical subspecialties we mention also have a pediatric subspecialty, like pediatric orthopedic surgery and pediatric neurosurgery.

Plastic surgery

Plastic surgeons operate on the skin, muscle, and soft tissues of various parts of the body. These surgeons focus on repairing defects of the face and body related to birth defects, injury, burns, or disease. Examples of plastic surgery include breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery, cleft lip and palate repair, hand surgery, and scar revision procedures. 

Orthopedic surgery

Orthopedic surgeons specialize in managing problems of the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the body. Depending on the medical problem, they may perform surgery. In some cases, they may recommend medications, physical therapy, or steroid injections. Orthopedic surgeons also perform emergency surgery to repair injuries to bones, muscles, and tendons after accidents. 

Otolaryngology (ENT)

Otolaryngologists are surgeons who treat medical problems of the head and neck. These specialists focus on problems that affect the ears, nose, and throat (that’s where the common name “ENT” comes from). Some also perform facial plastic surgery. They can handle any problem above the shoulders, but they don’t operate on the eyes or the brain. Otolaryngologists can treat both children and adults.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery 

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFS) focus on surgery of the head, neck, face, mouth, and jaw. This may sound similar to otolaryngologists, but oral and maxillofacial surgeons have training in dentistry. So they also perform tooth extractions and dental implants.

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgeons perform surgery on the brain and spinal cord to help treat neurologic diseases. They often work together with neurologists. Neurosurgeons may perform surgery for brain tumors, seizures, brain aneurysms, or spinal cord problems. 

Thoracic surgery

Thoracic surgeons perform surgery on the organs in the chest — like the heart, lungs, and esophagus. These specialists may perform surgery to treat: 

• Heart disease

• Emphysema

• Lung cancer

• Problems of the large blood vessels in the chest

• Esophageal cancer

Vascular surgery

Vascular surgeons treat diseases of the blood vessels in your body, except those in the brain and heart. Vascular surgeons can help people with vascular disease manage their conditions. They can also perform surgery on various blood vessels as well as emergency surgery to repair damaged blood vessels after injury and accidents.

Combination medical and surgical specialties

There are some medical professionals whose specialty involves both medical and surgical care.  Examples of these specialties include: obstetrics-gynecology, urology, ophthalmology, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, and radiology. You may come across these medical professionals in a clinic, emergency, or operating room.

Obstetrics-gynecology

Obstetrician-gynecologists specialize in care for women in all stages of life. These specialists are knowledgeable about women’s health, including the medical and surgical problems of the female reproductive organs. Obstetrician-gynecologists can guide women through pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and beyond. In some cases, they can also provide primary care for women. Some obstetrician-gynecologists further subspecialize to focus on women with high-risk pregnancies, fertility problems, or gynecologic cancers.

Urology

Urologists diagnose and treat medical and surgical problems of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and adrenal glands. They also care for issues affecting male genital organs, including the prostate. Urologists can perform a wide variety of surgical procedures. Urologists can treat adults and children. Sometimes they subspecialize in the treatment of urologic cancers, such as prostate cancer. 

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmologists are the “eye doctors.” These specialists diagnose and treat medical and surgical problems of the eyes. Common examples are glaucoma, cataracts, and eye injuries. These specialists may see adults and children. But young children may need to see an ophthalmologist who subspecializes in pediatric ophthalmology.

Emergency medicine

Emergency room specialists work in hospital emergency rooms and handle all kinds of medical and surgical emergencies in adults and children. These specialists treat some problems with medications, decide when a problem needs admission to a hospital, and perform medical procedures. They also have experience in critical care.

Anesthesiology

Anesthesiologists care for people who need sedation when undergoing surgery and other types of medical procedures. Anesthesiologists review your medical history and surgical procedure to come up with a safe plan for anesthesia. Anesthesiologists administer medications. And they can perform procedures to keep you safe and comfortable before, during, and after your surgery. Anesthesiologists have training in caring for adults, children, pregnant women, and critically ill patients. Some anesthesiologists also subspecialize in pain management.

Radiology

Radiologists are medical professionals who specialize in performing and interpreting medical imaging, like X-rays, ultrasound exams, as well as CT and MRI scans. Some radiologists also perform procedures under image guidance to treat diseases or injuries.

Other medical specialties

Pathology is a unique medical specialty that focuses on laboratory science and the diagnosis of disease. People don’t often get to meet the pathologist involved in their care, but these specialists can be a very important part of the medical team.

Pathology

Pathologists are specialists in the diagnosis of disease. Pathologists examine biopsies under a microscope and perform laboratory testing to diagnose cancer, genetic disorders, and various diseases of all the different organ systems. Pathologists can help other specialists — like surgeons, infectious disease specialists, and hematologists — with diagnosis and treatment.

The bottom line

There are many different kinds of medical specialists. These days, some specialists may decide to focus even further on a very specific disease, group of diseases, or part of the body. Knowing what each specialist does is helpful. But it can still be difficult to know which specialist you should see for your specific medical problem. Often the best place to start is with your primary care provider — they can help you figure out which specialist may be the best for your situation. 

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