There are many different types of medical doctors, ranging from general practitioners who can treat a wide range of health conditions to specialists with a very specific skill set.

Medical doctors are qualified healthcare professionals who are licensed to diagnose, manage, and treat medical conditions, as well as provide support for health and wellness.

All medical doctors must go through extensive training to become licensed. This includes an undergraduate degree, medical school, residency, and often fellowship training.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), there are over 200 medical specialties and subspecialties in the United States.

Read on to learn more about the different medical doctors and which ones might form part of your healthcare team.

Primary care physicians (PCPs), also known as general practitioners (GPs), are healthcare professionals who can diagnose, manage, and help prevent a wide range of medical conditions and injuries.

They are the first point of contact if you have nonemergency symptoms. They can assess your symptoms, develop an appropriate treatment plan, or refer you to a specialist for further examination.

A PCP can also provide vaccinations, perform routine checkups, manage treatment plans, and provide guidance on navigating healthcare systems, resources, and insurance.

In the United States, PCPs complete 4 years of medical school and 2 to 4 years of primary care residency training.

There are several different types of PCPs.

Family medical doctor

A family medical doctor is qualified to provide diagnostic, management, and preventive services to people of all ages, ranging from infants to older adults.

If your family chooses to have a family medical doctor, they can be the first point of contact for each family member.

Pediatrician

A pediatrician is a PCP who specializes in the mental, physical, and behavioral healthcare of newborns, babies, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

Until what age can I see a pediatrician?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has set a recommended age limit at 21 years, but there’s no definite age cutoff for receiving pediatric care.

Many pediatricians will wish to continue managing and supporting the healthcare for people as they grow up, especially if children need specialized healthcare support.

That said, some insurance policies may have an age cutoff for pediatric care. If you have insurance, it’s important to speak with the provider to discuss your options.

Internal medical physician (Internist)

Internists are PCPs who specialize in the healthcare and well-being of adolescents, adults, and older adults. They can help manage a wide range of chronic and acute healthcare conditions that affect the:

  • heart
  • blood
  • kidneys
  • liver
  • joints
  • digestive system
  • respiratory system
  • vascular system

Geriatrician

Geriatricians are PCPs who provide healthcare for older adults, usually those ages 65 years and older. Like other PCPs, they can support the physical, mental, and social well-being of people.

Do I need a referral from a PCP to see a medical specialist?

In some cases, you may be able to see a medical specialist without a referral from a PCP. For instance, you can contact the specialist’s medical practice directly, and they can put you in touch with them.

But many specialists require a referral from a PCP, and most insurance providers and some Medicare plans need a referral to cover the treatment.

If you have insurance and are unsure whether you need a referral, it’s best to connect with a person from the insurance company. They may also have resources to help you find a specialist in your area.

A medical specialist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of a certain region, system, or part of the body.

To become registered specialists, physicians must complete a fellowship training program that usually lasts 3 to 7 years after completing their 4 years of medical school.

Upon completing their fellowship, physicians become senior doctors. They can practice as specialists and consultants, offering treatment and diagnostic advice to people with complex conditions and their healthcare teams.

Here are some of the most common medical specialists.

Cardiologists

Cardiologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the circulatory system, including the blood vessels and heart.

They can treat immediate medical emergencies like angina (chest pain), heart attack, and blood clots.

They can also diagnose and develop management plans for conditions like arrhythmia, high blood pressure, angina, and heart disease, among many others.

Dermatologists

Dermatologists specialize in the care of skin, hair, and nail conditions. These include a wide range of conditions, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, insect bites, rashes, skin cancer, and cosmetic concerns, among others.

Endocrinologists

Endocrinologists are specialists in the body’s hormonal processes and conditions that affect its glands. Hormones are responsible for many bodily functions, including reproduction, energy, metabolism, growth, and development.

An endocrinologist may help manage conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, lipid disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and adrenal disease, among others.

Allergists/Immunologists

These specialists focus on conditions that affect the immune system. These conditions are often immune reactions to foreign invaders like germs, irritants, and stress.

Some common conditions include:

Gastroenterologists

Gastroenterologists specialize in the diagnosis and management of conditions affecting your digestive system, which includes the liver, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and biliary tract.

This includes a wide range of conditions, including:

Pulmonologists

These specialists focus on diagnosing and managing conditions that affect the pulmonary system, which includes the muscles in your lungs and airways that help you breathe.

Some conditions include:

Rheumatologists

Rheumatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the joints, muscles, and surrounding tissues. They can most commonly provide a diagnosis or treatment plan based on physical examination and blood tests.

Some common inflammatory and autoimmune conditions they help treat include:

Neurologists

Neurologists specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the nervous system. This is the network of nerves, cells, brain, and spinal cord that allows you to think, move, and perform basic bodily functions.

According to the American Academy of Neurology, a neurologist can help manage symptoms like dizziness, involuntary movements, muscle weakness, and sensation changes in people who have conditions like:

Hematologists

Hematologists specialize in researching, diagnosing, and managing conditions that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymphatic system, and blood vessels.

Some conditions may include:

Oncologists

Oncologists focus on treating cancer, often collaborating with other healthcare professionals like hematologists and surgeons.

An oncologist can develop treatment plans that include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. They’ll also work with the person receiving treatment to ensure the best care.

Obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs)

An obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) specializes in the healthcare of people assigned female at birth.

An obstetrician, in particular, focuses on managing conditions associated with pregnancy, vaginal delivery, and the post-delivery stage.

A gynecologist focuses on the health and care of conditions that affect the breasts or female reproductive system, which includes the vagina, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.

Can I see a specialist instead of a PCP?

A PCP should be the first person you connect with if you have any nonemergency symptoms or have questions about a current treatment plan they help manage.

If you have emergency symptoms and get urgent medical attention at a hospital, you will most likely see a specialist instead of a PCP.

People who have received a diagnosis of a chronic condition may also maintain regular contact with a medical specialist. In this case, you may be able to connect with the specialist directly instead of a PCP.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can diagnose, treat, and manage conditions that can affect your mental well-being. This often includes psychological disorders that affect the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves, some of which include:

After completing 4 years of medical school training, psychiatrists complete a 4-year psychiatry residency. After this, they can complete a fellowship in a subspecialty.

People often confuse psychologists and psychiatrists. Both mental health professionals can diagnose certain mental health conditions and offer psychotherapy (talk therapy), which can help you identify, understand, and manage any negative thought patterns, behaviors, and feelings.

However, only psychiatrists can prescribe medications for treatment.

Psychiatrists can continue their training to become subspecialists. Some examples include neuropsychiatrists, pediatric psychiatrists, and geriatric psychiatrists.

Surgical specialists, commonly known as surgeons, are healthcare professionals who perform invasive types of medical operations in hospitals.

There are many different types of surgeons. Some may be responsible for treating life threatening conditions in the emergency department and acting “on the fly,” while others can perform scheduled operations.

After completing 4 years of medical school, surgeons complete a residency of at least 5 years to become certified in a surgical specialty.

General surgeons

General surgeons are trained to perform a wide range of surgeries for conditions that could affect any part of the body, such as:

  • breasts
  • colorectal system
  • endocrine system
  • gastrointestinal tract
  • kidneys
  • liver
  • blood vessels

General surgeons often perform emergency surgeries, with the most common ones being for appendicitis, hernias, and gallstones.

Orthopedic surgeons

Orthopedic surgeons specialize in operations that involve the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Often, orthopedic surgeons are specialists in certain types of surgery, such as:

  • joint replacement, such as the knee and hip
  • lower limb reconstruction, such as the hip, knee, ankle, or foot
  • spinal
  • bone tumors
  • pediatrics
  • rheumatoid
  • sports and exercise

Neurosurgeons

Neurosurgeons specialize in surgery on the brain, spine, and nerves. They can help treat a wide range of neurological symptoms caused by infections, cancer, trauma, stroke, and degenerative conditions, among others.

A neurosurgeon participates in the preoperative brain assessment and performs the surgery itself. Often, these procedures are emergency surgeries.

Cardiothoracic surgeons

Cardiothoracic surgeons focus on operating in the chest, lungs, heart, and esophagus. This may include:

Other surgical specialties

There are several other surgical specialties, and within them, even more subspecialties:

  • Vascular: treats conditions that affect the veins and arteries
  • Otolaryngology (ENTs)​: diagnoses and treats conditions that affect the ear, nose, and throat (ENT)
  • Urology: treats conditions that affect the urogenital system, such as the kidneys, testicles, prostate, bladder, urinary tract, and penis
  • Plastic: reconstructs skin and soft tissues damaged by trauma, such as burns and injuries, and may sometimes also perform surgery for aesthetic purposes
  • Pediatric: treats conditions that affect newborns, infants, children, and adolescents
  • Oral and maxillofacial: treats conditions that affect the bones and soft tissues in the head, face, and neck
  • Academic: focuses on performing surgery, researching new surgeries, and teaching in schools

Diagnostic and forensic specialists examine and interpret a wide range of medical tests to diagnose, manage, and treat conditions.

After completing 4 years of medical school, doctors undergo a residency and fellowship period that totals around 6 to 7 years.

In many cases, diagnostic and forensic specialists also have a subspecialty in a medical field, such as cardiology, neuroradiology, vascular diseases, and orthopedics, among others.

Radiologist

Radiologists analyze images to help another type of specialist (cardiologist, for example) determine the underlying cause of a person’s problem. This includes images from the following diagnostic tests:

Nuclear medical specialists

These specialists take different types of diagnostic images using molecular tracers to examine the function of certain organs and cells. This type of testing plays a key role in the early diagnosis of conditions like heart disease and cancer and in determining the effectiveness of cancer treatments.

Pathologists

Pathologists examine the results from many different types of medical examinations to diagnose, treat, and manage diseases. They may analyze results from blood, fluid, imaging, cell, and tissue tests to determine the underlying cause of a condition and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

In most cases, it’s best to connect with a PCP if you have any symptoms that may require medical attention. They can then provide you with a referral to see a medical specialist who can diagnose, treat, and manage the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Here are some things to consider before connecting with a medical specialist:

  • Location: Medical specialists may not be located near your place of residence. Some medical specialists can offer telehealth care services over the phone, video, or messaging service, or they may come to see you.
  • Insurance: If you have insurance or Medicare, speak with the insurance provider to see what they can cover and what documents are required to process it. They may also help you find a medical specialist who’s close to you. If you don’t have insurance, speak with the medical specialist about payment plans for self-payers.
  • Medical specialist: There are many specialists who can offer healthcare services. Consider using Healthline’s FindCare service or medical directories from OptumNow, the American Medical Association, and Medicare to find licensed, board certified doctors in the United States.

Optum Now is operated by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

There are many different types of doctors who could diagnose, treat, manage, and help prevent medical conditions.

Primary care physicians are the first people to consider connecting with if you experience nonemergency symptoms you’d like examined or have questions about your health.

If you experience a severe medical emergency and go to the hospital, a specialist will most likely treat the cause. There are many different types of medical specialists, with over 200 specialties.