Message definition (Medical specialty ) ==List of North American medical specialties and others== 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. * [[Medicine|Medical]] specialties that focus on the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of disease. * [[Diagnostic specialty|Diagnostic]] specialties focus more purely on diagnosis of disorders. {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Specialty ! Code ! Group ! Sub-specialties ! Focus |- | [[Allergy]] and [[immunology]] | | | | Allergic reactions, asthma, and the immune system. |- | [[Anesthesiology]] | AN, PAN | Surgery | *[[Pediatric anesthesia]] *[[Pain management]] *[[Intensive care]] *[[intensive-care medicine|Critical care]] *[[Obstetrics and gynaecology]] *[[Cardiothoracic anesthesiology]] *Trauma care *Pre- and Post-Operative Assessment and Care *Generalist (covers all the sub-specialties) | [[Anesthesia]] |- | [[Bariatrics]] | | | | Deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of [[obesity]]. |- | [[Cardiology]] | | [[Medicine]] | * [[Interventional cardiology]] * [[Echocardiography]] * [[Electrocardiography]] * [[Sports cardiology]] * [[Cardiogeriatrics]] * Preventive cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation * Pediatric cardiology | Disease of the [[cardiovascular system]]. |- | [[Cardiovascular surgery]] | | [[Surgery]] | | The operation of [[heart]] and major [[blood vessel]]s of the [[chest]]. |- | [[Clinical laboratory]] sciences | | Diagnostic | *[[Transfusion medicine]] is concerned with the transfusion of [[blood]] and [[blood component]], including the maintenance of a "[[blood bank]]". *[[Cellular pathology]] is concerned with diagnosis using samples from patients taken as tissues and cells using [[histology]] and [[cytopathology|cytology]]. *[[Clinical chemistry]] is concerned with diagnosis by making biochemical analysis of blood, body fluids, and tissues. *[[Hematology]] is concerned with diagnosis by looking at changes in the cellular composition of the [[blood]] and [[bone marrow]] as well as the [[coagulation system]] in the blood. *[[Clinical microbiology]] is concerned with the ''[[in vitro]]'' diagnosis of diseases caused by [[bacterium|bacteria]], [[virus]]es, [[fungus|fungi]], and [[parasite]]s. *[[Clinical immunology]] is concerned with disorders of the [[immune system]] and related body defenses. It also deals with diagnosis of [[allergy]]. | Application of diagnostic techniques in [[medical laboratories]] such as [[assay]]s, [[microscope]] analysis. |- | [[Dermatology]] | D, DS | Medicine | Dermatology, [[Mohs surgery]] | [[Skin]] and its appendages ([[hair]], [[nail (anatomy)|nail]]s, [[sweat gland]]s etc.). |- | [[Dietetics]] | RD | | |Food and nutrition |- | [[Emergency medicine]] | EM | Medicine | *[[Disaster medicine]] *Emergency medical services *Hospice and palliative medicine *International Emergency Medicine and Global Health *Medical toxicology *[[Pediatric emergency medicine]] *Research *Simulation *Sports medicine *Toxicology *Ultrasound *Undersea and hyperbaric medicine *[[Wilderness medicine (practice)|Wilderness medicine]] | The initial management of emergent medical conditions, often in hospital [[emergency room|emergency departments]] or the field. |- | [[Endocrinology]] | | Medicine | | The [[endocrine system]] (i.e., [[endocrine gland]]s and [[hormone]]s) and its diseases, including [[diabetes]] and [[thyroid]] diseases. |- | [[Family medicine]] | FM | Medicine | *Addiction medicine *Adolescent medicine *Anesthesia *[[Emergency medicine]] *Care of the elderly (geriatric medicine) *Clinical environmental health *Global health *HIV care *Hospital medicine *Indigenous health *Low-risk obstetrics *Medical education *Medical oncology *Medical simulation *Pain medicine *Palliative care *Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) *Research *Sleep medicine *Sports and exercise medicine *Women's health | Continuing, comprehensive healthcare for the individual and family, integrating the biological, clinical and behavioral sciences to treat patients of all ages, sexes, organ systems, and diseases. |- | [[Forensic medicine]] | | Medicine | | |- | [[Gastroenterology]] | GI | Medicine | | The [[alimentary tract]] |- | [[General surgery]] | GS | Surgery | *Colorectal surgery *Gastrointestinal surgery *Transplant surgery *Trauma surgery | |- | [[Geriatrics]] | IMG | Medicine | | Elderly patients |- | [[Gynecology]] | | | |Female reproductive health |- | [[Hepatology]] | | Medicine | | The [[liver]] and [[biliary tract]], usually a part of gastroenterology. |- |[[Hospital medicine]] | |Medicine | | |- | [[Infectious disease]] | ID | Medicine | | Diseases caused by biological agents. |- | [[Intensive care medicine]] | | Medicine | | [[Life support]] and management of critically ill patients, often in an [[intensive care unit|ICU]]. |- | [[Internal medicine]] | | Medicine | | |- | [[Medical research]] | | |[[Anatomy]], [[Biochemistry]], [[Embryology]], [[Genetics]], [[Pharmacology]], [[Toxicology]] |Care of hospitalized patients |- | [[Nephrology]] | | Medicine | | Kidney diseases |- | [[Neurology]] | N | Medicine | *[[Behavioral neurology]] *[[Clinical neurophysiology]] *[[Geriatric neurology]] *Headache medicine *[[Neuromuscular medicine]] *[[Neurodevelopmental disorder|Neurodevelopmental disabilities]] *Neuro-oncology *[[Neuroradiology]] *Vascular neurology *[[Hospice and palliative medicine]] *[[Pain medicine]] *[[Sleep medicine]] | Diseases involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. |- | [[Neurosurgery]] | NS | Surgery | *[[Cerebrovascular]] *[[Neurosurgical oncology]] *[[Stereotactic surgery|Stereotactic]] and functional *[[Vertebral column|Spine]] *[[Neurotrauma]] *[[Skull base]] *[[Peripheral neuropathy|Peripheral nerve]] *[[Pediatric neurosurgery]] | Disease of the [[central nervous system]], [[peripheral nervous system]], and [[spinal column]]. |- | [[Obstetrics and gynecology]] | OB/GYN | Surgery | *[[Maternal-fetal medicine]] *[[Reproductive medicine]] *[[Fertility medicine]] *[[Gynecologic oncology]] | |- | [[Oncology]] | ON | Medicine | *[[Radiation oncology]] – pertains to the use of [[radiation therapy]] (the [[medicine|medical]] use of [[ionizing radiation]]) as part of [[cancer]] treatment to control [[malignant]] cells (not to be confused with [[radiology]]). | [[Cancer]] and other malignant diseases, often grouped with hematology. |- | [[Ophthalmology]] | OPH | Surgery | * Anterior segment surgery * Cornea * [[Glaucoma]] * [[Neuro-ophthalmology]] * [[Ocular oncology]] * [[Oculoplastics|Oculoplastics and Orbital surgery]] * [[Ophthalmic pathology]] * [[Pediatric ophthalmology|Pediatric ophthalmology/strabismus]] * [[Refractive surgery]] * [[Retina|Medical retina]] * [[Uveitis]] * [[Vitreoretinal surgery|Vitreo-retinal surgery]] | Diseases of the visual pathways, including the eyes, brain, etc. |- | [[Oral and maxillofacial surgery]] | Maxfacs, OMS | Surgery | *Oral and Craniofacial surgery (Head and neck) *Facial cosmetic surgery *Craniomaxillofacial trauma | Disease of the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. |- | [[Orthopedic surgery]] | ORS | Surgery | [[Hand surgery]], [[surgical sports medicine]], adult reconstruction, spine surgery, foot and ankle, musculoskeletal oncology, orthopedic trauma surgery, pediatric orthopedic surgery | Injury and disease of the [[musculoskeletal system]]. |- | [[Otorhinolaryngology]], or ENT | ORL, ENT | Surgery | Head and neck, facial cosmetic surgery, [[Neurotology]], Laryngology | Treatment of ear, nose, and throat disorders. The term [[head and neck surgery]] defines a closely related specialty that is concerned mainly with [[surgical oncology|the surgical management of cancer]] of the same anatomical structures. |- | [[Palliative care]] | PLM | Medicine | | A relatively modern branch of clinical medicine that deals with pain and symptom relief and emotional support in patients with [[terminal illness]]es including [[cancer]] and [[heart failure]]. |- | [[Pathology as a medical specialty|Pathology]] | PTH | Diagnostic | | Understanding [[disease]] through examination of [[molecule]]s, [[Cell (biology)|cells]], [[Tissue (biology)|tissue]]s and [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]]s. The term encompasses both the medical specialty that uses tissues and body fluids to obtain clinically useful information and the related [[science|scientific]] study of disease processes. |- | [[Pediatrics]] | PD | Medicine | Children. Like internal medicine, pediatrics has many sub-specialties for specific age ranges, organ systems, disease classes, and sites of care delivery. Most sub-specialties of adult medicine have a pediatric equivalent such as [[pediatric cardiology]], [[pediatric emergency medicine]], [[pediatric endocrinology]], [[pediatric gastroenterology]], [[pediatric hematology]], [[pediatric oncology]], [[pediatric ophthalmology]], and [[neonatology]]. | Deals with the medical care of [[infant]]s, [[child]]ren, and [[adolescent]]s (from [[newborn]] to age 16–21, depending on the country). |- | [[Pediatric surgery]] | | Surgery | Treats a wide variety of [[chest|thoracic]] and [[abdominal]] (and sometimes [[urology|urologic]]) diseases of childhood. | |- | [[Physical medicine and rehabilitation]] Or Physiatry | PM&R | Medicine | *Cancer Rehabilitation *Pain Management *Traumatic Brain Injury *Spinal Cord Injury *Sports Medicine *Pediatrics *Hospice & Palliative Medicine | Concerned with functional improvement after injury, illness, or [[congenital disorder]]s. |- | [[Plastic surgery]] | PS | Surgery | *Cosmetic surgery *Burn *Microsurgery *Hand surgery *Craniofacial surgery | Elective cosmetic surgery as well as reconstructive surgery after traumatic or operative mutilation. |- | [[Podiatry]] | POD | Surgery | *Forefoot surgery *Midfoot surgery *Rearfoot surgery *Ankle surgery *Soft tissue leg surgery |Elective podiatric surgery of the foot and ankle, lower limb diabetic wound and salvation, [[peripheral vascular disease]] limb preservation, lower limb [[mononeuropathy]] conditions. Reconstructive [[foot & ankle surgery]]. |- | [[Proctology]] | PRO | Medicine | | (or [[Colorectal Surgery]]) Treats disease in the [[rectum]], [[anus]], and [[Colon (anatomy)|colon]]. |- | [[Psychiatry]] | P | Medicine | *[[Addiction psychiatry]] focuses on substance abuse and its treatment. *[[Child psychiatry|Child and adolescent psychiatry]] focuses on the care of children and adolescents with mental, emotional, and learning problems including [[ADHD]], [[autism]], and family conflicts. *[[Liaison psychiatry|Consultation-Liaison psychiatry]] focuses on the interface between general medicine and psychiatry. *[[Forensic psychiatry]] focuses on the interface of psychiatry and law. *[[Geriatric psychiatry]] focuses on the care of elderly people with mental illnesses including [[dementia]]s, post-stroke cognitive changes, and depression. *[[Neuropsychiatry]] focuses on affective, cognitive and behavioral disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system *[[Sleep medicine]] focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. *[[Hospice and Palliative Medicine]] *[[Pain medicine]] | The [[biopsychosocial|bio-psycho-social]] study of the [[etiology]], [[diagnosis]], treatment and [[Preventive medicine|prevention]] of [[cognitive]], [[perceptual]], [[emotional]] and [[behavioral]] disorders. Related fields include [[psychotherapy]] and [[clinical psychology]]. |- | [[Pulmonology]] | | Medicine | | The lungs and [[respiratory system]]. ''Pulmonology'' is generally considered a branch of [[internal medicine]], although it is closely related to [[intensive care medicine]] when dealing with patients requiring [[mechanical ventilation]]. |- | [[Public health|Public Health]] | | | | Public health focuses on the health of populations. Physicians employed in this field work in policy, research or [[health promotion]], taking a broad view of health that encompasses the [[social determinants of health]]. |- | [[Radiology]] | R, DR | Diagnostic and Therapeutic | *[[Interventional radiology]] is concerned with using expert imaging of the human body, usually via CT, ultrasound, [[fluoroscopy]], or MRI to perform a breadth of intravascular procedures (angioplasty, arterial stenting, thrombolysis, uterine fibroid embolization), [[biopsy|biopsies]] and minimally invasive oncologic procedures (radiofrequency and cryoablation of tumors & transarterial chemoembolization) *[[Nuclear medicine]] uses [[radioactive decay|radioactive]] substances for ''[[in vivo]]'' and ''[[in vitro]]'' diagnosis either using imaging of the location of radioactive substances placed into a patient or using ''in vitro'' diagnostic tests utilizing [[radioactivity|radioactive]] substances. | The use of expertise in radiation in the context of [[medical imaging]] for [[diagnosis]] or image guided minimally invasive therapy. [[Radiography|X-rays]], etc. |- | [[Rheumatology]] | RHU | Medicine | | [[Autoimmunity|Autoimmune]] and inflammatory diseases of the [[joint]]s and other organ systems, such as [[arthritis]] and other [[rheumatic diseases]]. |- | [[Surgical oncology]] | SO | Surgery | | Curative and palliative surgical approaches to [[cancer]] treatment. |- | [[Thoracic surgery]] | TS | Surgery | | Surgery of the organs of the [[thoracic cavity]]: the heart, lungs, and great vessels. |- | [[Organ transplantation|Transplant surgery]] | TTS | Surgery | |Transplantation of [[Organ (anatomy)|organs]] from one body to another. |- |Toxicology | |Diagnostic and Therapeutic | * Environmental * Forensic * Occupational * Pediatric |Poisonings, Overdoses; Environmental, and Occupational Exposures |- | Urgent Care Medicine | UCM | Medicine | | Immediate medical care offering outpatient care for the treatment of acute and chronic illness and injury. |- | [[Urology]] | U | Surgery | | [[Urinary tract]]s of males and females, and the [[male reproductive system]]. It is often practiced together with [[andrology]] ("men's health"). |- | [[Vascular surgery]] | VS | Surgery | | The peripheral blood vessels – those outside the [[chest]] (usually operated on by [[cardiovascular surgery|cardiovascular surgeons]]) and outside the [[central nervous system]] (treated by [[neurosurgery]]). |- |}