Читать книгу The Complete Medical School Admission Guide: From High School to Doctor - Dr. Paul Jr. Toote - Страница 4

Let’s begin by defining what exactly a doctor is, and then breaking down that definition further into the various types of physicians that practice medicine today.

The U.S. Department of Labor characterize the general profession as follows: “Physicians… diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. Physicians examine patients, obtain medical histories, and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare.”

Going deeper, there are two basic types of doctors: M.D. (Medical Doctor) and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). What exactly is the difference? Well, while both M.D.s and D.O.s use all medically accepted forms of treatment, including drugs and surgery, to treat their patients, D.O.s emphasize preventative care, holistic methods and pay special attention to the body’s musculoskeletal system. Roughly 50% of D.O.s practice general or family medicine (as I noted, I, too, am a D.O. and practice Emergency Medicine).

From these two broad categories spring a number of subcategories of specialty that a doctor can choose to pursue:

·Anesthesiologists

These specialists focus on providing surgical patients with pain relief. While this may seem like an easy task to an outsider, it can be a very complex job; providing the right treatment could mean the difference between life and death. Anesthesiologists are critical care specialists who take on the responsibility of maintaining a patient’s vital life functions (including blood pressure, breathing, body temperature and heart rate) while in surgery. Their work is not just limited to the operating room, however; they also provide relief in intensive care units, in maternity wards during labor and delivery, and to those who suffer from chronic pain. As they are treating patients that are primarily under other physicians’ care, they must confer with those physicians about which treatments and procedures are appropriate for each patient’s specific situation.

·Family and General Physicians

Usually, when you just need to see a doctor for a checkup, a physical or an uncomplicated health problem, this type of physician is the one you’ll make an appointment with. Traditional family physicians are capable of assessing and treating a wide range of conditions, from sinus and respiratory infections to sprained and broken bones. These doctors typically have long-running practices in the same community and build up a base of regular, ongoing patients and their families. When patients come to them with more serious illnesses or conditions, they will refer them to a specialist or another clinic for the needed follow-up tests and treatments.

·General Internists

General internists diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for various problems that affect patients’ internal organ systems, such as the stomach, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract. As you’ll note, they too have the word “general” in front of their physician category – meaning that they are primary care specialists. While they do treat patients referred from other doctors, they will, in turn, refer those patients to other specialists, when more complex treatment is called for.

·General Pediatricians

This is another “general” type of physician who specifically targets a practice towards the care of infants, children, teenagers and young adults. They focus on ailments (as well as needed preventative healthcare) for young people and monitor their development as they grow into adulthood. Like the family physician, general pediatricians will treat simple "normal” illnesses, such as colds and minor injuries, and also provide important immunizations needed by children to avoid measles, polio, and other contagious and dangerous diseases – more complex cases will be referred to other specialists. There are, however, pediatricians who also specialize in pediatric surgery or other serious medical conditions that threaten the health of younger people.

·Obstetricians and Gynecologists

OB/GYNs are specialists in women’s health. They not only attend to women’s general health, but also provide care for their pregnancies and their reproductive systems. While they do diagnose and treat general health issues, their focus is on specific female ailments, such as cancers of the cervix, urinary tract and pelvic disorders, and hormonal disorders. Obstetricians and gynecologists also are childbirth experts; they will counsel and treat patients through their pregnancies, from prenatal care to assisting with the delivery itself as well as all postpartum health needs.

·Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists specialize in mental healthcare. They will engage in psychotherapy, which involves regular discussions with patients about their issues. The psychiatrist will then attempt to help them change destructive or unproductive behavioral patterns, as well as explore past experiences that may be interfering with their present life. Hospitalization and medication may be treatments that the psychiatrist chooses to prescribe in more serious cases.

·Surgeons

A surgeon deals with human medical problems by performing operations. They use specially designed instruments, anesthesia, and a strong support team to either correct an existing problem or prevent one from developing. Although there are many general surgeons, there are also many who choose to specialize in such areas as orthopedic surgery (treatment of the musculoskeletal system), neurological surgery (treatment of the brain and nervous system), cardiovascular surgery, otolaryngology (treatment of the ear, nose, and throat), and plastic or reconstructive surgery. Before they perform surgery, they will examine patients, usually referred by other physicians, perform and interpret diagnostic tests, and provide counsel before and after operations.

The above doctor descriptions just cover the largest physician categories. There are many other specialists as well, such as gastroenterologists, urologists, pathologists, dermatologists, cardiologists, allergists, ophthalmologists, and radiologists, to name a few.

Finally, there are also non-clinical physician occupations available that don’t require you to provide actual patient care. About a tenth of all U.S. physicians are employed in these kinds of positions; they aren’t as widely available as those that do require patient care, but they do exist. Many practicing doctors aren’t all that familiar with them simply because they’re not as exposed to them in medical school and through their internships and residencies. These types of careers can involve working in medical research, administration at a medical facility, medical writing for journals and such, as well as working as a consultant for corporations, such as pharmaceutical companies.

Keeping all this in mind, you may want to start thinking about what specific services you want to provide in your role as doctor, or you may just want to wait and see what sparks your interest down the line.