Finding a doctor after childhood often creates confusion regarding medical titles. While pediatricians specialize in the care of infants, children, and adolescents, the general term for a doctor who treats adults is less clear-cut. Adults seek care from several different types of physicians, each with distinct training and scopes of practice. The specific title most people are looking for when seeking a general doctor for adults refers to a physician focused on comprehensive, non-surgical care. Understanding these roles helps patients make informed decisions about their primary care.
The Physician Specializing in Adult Medicine
The physician primarily focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses solely in adults is known as an internist, practicing internal medicine. This specialty is dedicated to the care of adult patients, typically beginning around age 18 and extending through the senior years. Internists are trained to handle the complex interplay of multiple chronic conditions within a single patient. They often manage long-term diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic lung conditions.
The training for an internist focuses on adult physiology and pathology, involving at least three years of residency dedicated exclusively to adult health. This focus allows them to be experts in solving diagnostic problems and managing severe or long-term illnesses. Internists do not receive routine training in surgical procedures, obstetrics, or pediatric care. They serve as comprehensive primary care providers for adults, often coordinating care with other specialists.
Distinguishing Internal Medicine from Family Practice
The primary distinction between an internist and a family practice physician centers on the age range of the patients they treat. Family medicine doctors are trained to provide care across the entire human lifespan, often described as treating patients “from birth to death.” This comprehensive training includes components of pediatrics, obstetrics, and geriatrics, preparing them to serve as a single primary care provider for an entire family. Their scope is broad, emphasizing preventative care and routine health maintenance.
An internist restricts their practice to only adult patients, making them essentially “adult pediatricians” in terms of age focus. While both can function as primary care physicians, their residency training differs significantly. Internal medicine residency focuses on the in-depth management of complex adult diseases. This often leads internists to be more experienced with seriously ill patients or those with multiple coexisting conditions.
Beyond Primary Care: Adult Specialists and Surgeons
While internists and family physicians cover the majority of primary care for adults, many other doctors treat adults exclusively but are known by their specific field of expertise. These physicians are typically secondary or tertiary care providers, meaning patients are often referred to them by their primary care doctor for a specific issue. Non-surgical specialists are often internists who have completed additional years of fellowship training, such as cardiologists or oncologists.
Adult medical care also includes a range of surgical specialists, who are distinct from general internists. These doctors, such as general surgeons, neurosurgeons, or orthopedic surgeons, diagnose and treat conditions using operative procedures. Specialized titles, such as geriatrician or pulmonologist, show that the term “adult doctor” is not one single profession, but rather a large group of highly focused medical professionals.