We get it. It’s hard to choose a doctor. You may be new to the area, or you may just be looking to switch things up when it comes to your health care. No matter the case, the different kinds of doctors out there may be a little confusing, and it can be hard to know which one will be the best fit for your needs. Well, if you’re looking for a primary care doctor who can handle all your routine healthcare needs, you have two options: family doctors or internists. Below, we’ll do our best to explain a couple of differences between Family Medicine and Internal Medicine to help you choose!
What is Family Medicine?
- This is a specialty that covers all stages of life — from birth to end of life. It’s focused on growth & development, chronic care management, and most importantly, long-lasting relationships.
- It can be described as a type of care that is “a foot deep and a mile wide,” meaning these doctors cover a breadth of knowledge in a variety of conditions and treatments.
- This type of doctor may be right for you if you want your whole family to receive care at the same place and possibly even from the same doctor, throughout their entire lives.
What is Internal Medicine?
- This specialty covers patients from older adolescence through end of life and is focused on figuring out the complex issues that adults might experience.
- These doctors cover all the routine things while also digging into more rare cases or determining how to take care of their patients who can no longer make it into the office.
- This type of doctor may be right for you if you want a doctor who has the specific, specialized training for your stage in life as an adult.
Next Steps
As always, any of our physicians at Northeast Georgia Physicians Group look forward to caring for you and your family. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, visit our Primary Care page where you can book online, or call to learn more.