What is a Specialist or Sub-specialist?
Transcript:
So, what is a specialist or sub-specialist?
Specialists and subspecialists are doctors who specialize in specific internal systems, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, and/or disease areas. A few examples of specialists include surgeons, endocrinologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, dermatologists, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and geriatricians.
Cancer specialists often administer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and biological treatments and work with radiation oncologists and surgeons to care for cancer patients.
Subspecialists are doctors who specialize in a specific aspect within their area of study, for example, neuro anesthesiologists, orthopedists, urologists, ophthalmologists, and pediatric surgeons, among many others.
If you have a specific condition that you can identify and know the specialist related to your condition, you can visit the specialist for care. The specialist will refer you to a subspecialist if there’s a need for it. However, if you have a general feeling of malaise or other symptoms that could come from different conditions, it’s a good idea to visit your primary care physician, or PCP, who will order tests to diagnose your symptoms for treatment or refer you to the appropriate specialist, depending on your preliminary test results.
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