Different doctors perform different jobs.
Just about everyone has seen a doctor at some point in their life. Whether performing a routine checkup, setting a broken bone, or operating on a patient, doctors work in many different capacities. Since the field of medicine is too vast for anyone to master alone, there are different kinds of physicians to make sure every condition can be given adequate attention.
General Practitioners
When they get sick, most people turn to their general practitioner. A general practitioner, also known as a family doctor, does not specialize in any particular area of medicine. They see people of all ages and with all types of ailments. General practitioners are responsible for treating ailments easily dealt with, or ordering tests to help diagnose a problem. They also refer patients to specialists if needed.
Specialists
Specialists are doctors who have focused their training in one particular area of medicine, such as brain disorders or cancer. These doctors only treat the conditions in which they specialize. Often, patients must be referred to a specialist through another doctor. Specialists may also be certified by a board made up of physicians in that specialty. Many times, specialists have extensive post-graduate education.
Surgeons
Unlike other doctors, surgeons do not usually participate in the diagnosis of a a condition, or in determining a course of treatment. However, they play a vital role in how treatment can play out. Surgeons perform operations on patients. This can mean anything from installing pins into a broken arm to removing an inflamed appendix. Surgeons often specialize in the type of surgery they perform, focusing on a specific body part or condition.
M.D. vs. D.O.
M.D. stands for "medical doctor" while D.O. stands for "doctor of osteopathy." Both types of doctors attend four years of medical school and pass similar licensing exams. After medical school, doctors of osteopathy focus on the musculoskeletal system and preventive care, while medical doctors specialize in a variety of fields, as well as the use of modern medicines. Overall, osteopathic doctors take a more "whole-body" approach to health, while medical doctors are more apt to focus on treating individual ailments.
Pathologists
Pathologists are physicians who may or may not be medical doctors. Pathologists don't usually work with patients face-to-face. Rather, they work behind the scene to make diagnoses through examining body fluids, tissues, and organs. Depending on the tests being performed, pathologists may hold certificates, advanced academic degrees, or medical degrees or a combination of those options.
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