Medical specialty: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Branch of medicine concerning a specific group of diseases or population}}

A '''medical specialty''' is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or [[philosophy]]. Examples include those branches of medicine that deal exclusively with children ([[pediatrics|paediatrics]]), cancer ([[oncology]]), laboratory medicine ([[pathology]]), or primary care ([[family medicine]]). After completing [[medical school]] or other basic training, [[physician]]s or [[surgeon]]s and other [[Clinician|clinicians]] usually further their [[medical education]] in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple-year [[residency (medicine)|residency]] to become a specialist.

To a certain extent, medical practitioners have long been specialized. According to [[Galen]], specialization was common among Roman physicians. The particular system of modern medical specialties evolved gradually during the 19th century. Informal social recognition of medical specialization evolved before the formal legal system. The particular subdivision of the practice of medicine into various specialties varies from country to country, and is somewhat arbitrary.

Medical specialties can be classified along several axes. These are:

* Surgical or internal medicine

* Organ-based or technique-based

Throughout history, the most important has been the division into surgical and internal medicine specialties. The surgical specialties are those in which an important part of diagnosis and treatment is achieved through major surgical techniques. The internal medicine specialties are the specialties in which the main diagnosis and treatment is never major surgery. In some countries, [[anesthesiology]] is classified as a surgical discipline, since it is vital in the surgical process, though anesthesiologists never perform major surgery themselves.

Many specialties are organ-based. Many symptoms and diseases come from a particular organ. Others are based mainly around a set of techniques, such as [[radiology]], which was originally based around [[X-ray]]s.

The age range of patients seen by any given specialist can be quite variable. Paediatricians handle most complaints and diseases in children that do not require surgery, and there are several subspecialties (formally or informally) in paediatrics that mimic the organ-based specialties in adults. Paediatric surgery may or may not be a separate specialty that handles some kinds of surgical complaints in children.

A further subdivision is the diagnostic versus therapeutic specialties. While the diagnostic process is of great importance in all specialties, some specialists perform mainly or only diagnostic examinations, such as [[pathology]], [[clinical neurophysiology]], and radiology. This line is becoming somewhat blurred with [[interventional radiology]], an evolving field that uses image expertise to perform minimally invasive procedures.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

|}

The European Union publishes a list of specialties recognized in the European Union, and by extension, the European Economic Area. There is substantial overlap between some of the specialties and it is likely that for example "Clinical radiology" and "Radiology" refer to a large degree to the same pattern of practice across Europe.

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

* [[Emergency medicine|Accident and emergency medicine]]

{{div col end}}

In this table, as in many healthcare arenas, medical specialties are organized into the following groups:

* [[Surgery|Surgical]] specialties focus on manually operative and instrumental techniques to treat disease.

|}

According to the 2022 Medscape Physician Compensation Report, physicians on average earn $339K annually. Primary care physicians earn $260K annually while specialists earned $368K annually.

The table below details the average range of salaries for physicians in the US of medical specialties:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|}

There are 15 recognised specialty medical Colleges in Australia. The majority of these are Australasian Colleges and therefore also oversee New Zealand specialist doctors. These Colleges are:

{| class=" wikitable sortable"

|}

In addition, the [[Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons]] supervises training of specialist medical practitioners specializing in [[Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery]] in addition to its role in the training of [[dentists]]. There are approximately 260 faciomaxillary surgeons in Australia.

The [[Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners]] is a distinct body from the Australian [[Royal Australian College of General Practitioners]]. There are approximately 5100 members of the RNZCGP.

Within some of the larger Colleges, there are sub-faculties, such as: [https://www.racp.edu.au/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-rehabilitation-medicine Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211133913/https://www.racp.edu.au/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-rehabilitation-medicine |date=2014-12-11 }} within the [[Royal Australasian College of Physicians]]

There are some collegiate bodies in Australia that are not officially recognised as specialities by the Australian Medical Council but have a college structure for members, such as: [http://www.physicalmedicineaustralia.com.au/ Australasian College of Physical Medicine]

There are some collegiate bodies in Australia of Allied Health non-medical practitioners with specialisation. They are not recognised as medical specialists, but can be treated as such by private health insurers, such as: [[Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons]]

Specialty training in Canada is overseen by the [[Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada]] and the [[College of Family Physicians of Canada]]. For specialists working in the province of [[Quebec]], the [[Collège des médecins du Québec]] also oversees the process.

In Germany these doctors use the term ''[[Facharzt]]''.

Specialty training in India is overseen by the [[Medical Council of India]], responsible for recognition of post graduate training and by the [[National Board of Examinations]]. Education of [[Ayurveda]] in overseen by [[Central Council of Indian Medicine]] (CCIM), the council conducts UG and PG courses all over India, while [[Central Council of Homoeopathy]] does the same in the field of Homeopathy.

In Sweden, a [[medical license]] is required before commencing specialty training. Those graduating from Swedish [[medical school]]s are first required to do a rotational [[internship]] of about 1.5 to 2 years in various specialties before attaining a medical license. The specialist training lasts 5 years.

There are three agencies or organizations in the United States that collectively oversee [[physician board certification]] of [[Medical Doctor|MD]] and [[Osteopathic medicine in the United States|DO]] [[physicians in the United States]] in the 26 approved medical specialties recognized in the country. These organizations are the [[American Board of Medical Specialties]] (ABMS) and the [[American Medical Association]] (AMA); the [[American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists]] (AOABOS) and the [[American Osteopathic Association]]; the [[American Board of Physician Specialties]] (ABPS) and the [[American Association of Physician Specialists]] (AAPS). Each of these agencies and their associated national medical organization functions as its various specialty academies, colleges and societies.

{| class="wikitable"

|-

|}

All boards of certification now require that [[physician|medical practitioners]] demonstrate, by examination, continuing mastery of the core knowledge and skills for a chosen specialty. Recertification varies by particular specialty between every seven and every ten years.

In the United States there are hierarchies of medical specialties in the cities of a region. Small towns and cities have primary care, middle sized cities offer secondary care, and metropolitan cities have tertiary care. Income, size of population, population demographics, distance to the doctor, all influence the numbers and kinds of specialists and physicians located in a city.

A population's income level determines whether sufficient physicians can practice in an area and whether public subsidy is needed to maintain the health of the population. Developing countries and poor areas usually have shortages of physicians and specialties, and those in practice usually locate in larger cities. For some underlying theory regarding physician location, see [[central place theory]].

The proportion of men and women in different medical specialties varies greatly.

A survey of [[physicians in the United States]] came to the result that dermatologists are most satisfied with their choice of specialty followed by [[radiologist]]s, [[oncologist]]s, [[plastic surgeon]]s, and [[gastroenterologist]]s. In contrast, [[primary care physician]]s were the least satisfied, followed by [[nephrologist]]s, [[obstetricians/gynecologist]]s, and [[pulmonologist]]s. Surveys have also revealed high levels of depression among medical students (25 - 30%) as well as among physicians in training (22 - 43%), which for many specialties, continue into regular practice. A UK survey conducted of cancer-related specialties in 1994 and 2002 found higher job satisfaction in those specialties with more patient contact. Rates of burnout also varied by specialty.

*[[Medicine#Branches|Branches of medicine]]  

*[[Interdisciplinary sub-specialties of medicine]], including

* [[Society of General Internal Medicine]]

{{Medicine}}

{{Portal bar|Medicine}}

{{二次利用|date=30 January 2024}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Specialty (Medicine)}}

[[Category:Medical specialties| ]]

[[Category:Lists of salaries|Medical specialties]]