Medical specialties
Medical Specialties
Medical specialties (pronunciation: /ˈmɛdɪkəl/ /ˈspɛʃəltiːz/) are specific branches of medical practice that doctors specialize in after completing their basic medical education. The etymology of the term 'specialty' comes from the Latin word 'specialis', meaning 'particular kind'.
Types of Medical Specialties
There are numerous medical specialties, each focusing on a specific area of the body, type of patient, or type of treatment. Some of the most common medical specialties include:
- Cardiology (pronunciation: /ˌkɑːrdiˈɒlədʒi/): This specialty focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Dermatology (pronunciation: /ˌdɜːrməˈtɒlədʒi/): Dermatologists specialize in conditions of the skin, hair, and nails.
- Endocrinology (pronunciation: /ˌɛndəkrɪˈnɒlədʒi/): This specialty deals with the body's hormone-producing glands.
- Gastroenterology (pronunciation: /ˌɡæstroʊɪˈnɒlədʒi/): Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat diseases of the digestive system.
- Neurology (pronunciation: /nʊˈrɒlədʒi/): This specialty focuses on diseases of the nervous system.
- Oncology (pronunciation: /ɒŋˈkɒlədʒi/): Oncologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
- Pediatrics (pronunciation: /ˌpiːdiˈætrɪks/): This specialty focuses on the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents.
- Psychiatry (pronunciation: /saɪˈkaɪətri/): Psychiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.
- Radiology (pronunciation: /ˌreɪdiˈɒlədʒi/): Radiologists use imaging technology to diagnose and treat diseases.
- Surgery (pronunciation: /ˈsɜːrdʒəri/): Surgeons perform operations to treat diseases and injuries.
Related Terms
- Subspecialty: A subspecialty is a narrow field within a specialty. For example, pediatric cardiology is a subspecialty within both pediatrics and cardiology.
- Fellowship: A fellowship is a period of medical training that a doctor may undertake after completing a specialty training program.
- Residency: A residency is a stage of graduate medical training, where a doctor gains practical experience in a specific specialty.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Medical specialties
- Wikipedia's article - Medical specialties
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