What is the difference between general practice and family practice?

Family practice physicians focus on meeting the needs of the entire family. The family doctor is uniquely trained to care for the whole person throughout his or her life, from birth to old age. General practice doctors also see patients of any age but do not typically specialize in a particular area.

What is the difference between a family doctor and an internist?

While both a family medicine physician and internal medicine physician fall into the category of “primary care physician,” internal medicine physicians only care for adults, while a family medicine doctor can see both children and adults.

What’s the difference between internal medicine and general practice?

One of the biggest distinctions between an internist and a general practitioner is that while internists typically only treat adults, general practitioners are trained to provide care for patients of all ages. A general practitioner may treat adults, adolescents, and also children.

Is family practice the same as primary care?

There are several different types of doctor that will be identified as a primary care physician – typically Family Practice, Internal Medicine or General Practice. There are also doctors who focus on children, called Pediatricians, who will serve as the primary care physician for your child.

Why would I need to see an internist?

Internists routinely see patients with conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease. An internist may consult with doctors in other fields of medicine, or may be called to consult on a patient by another specialist. Thus, the name “internal medicine” was adopted.

What is the difference between family medicine and primary care?

“Primary care physicians fall into [one of two categories]: family medicine doctors and internal medicine doctors,” explains Saju Mathew, M.D., a primary care physician at Piedmont. “We’re all primary care physicians, but the biggest difference is internal medicine doctors are like adult pediatricians.”

Is a family practice doctor the same as a primary care physician?

Because internal medicine doctors and family medicine doctors are both primary care doctors, it may be difficult to choose between them. They are both capable of diagnosing and treating many conditionsand both will guide you in preventing disease and detecting health problems early while they’re still treatable.