very challenging surgical subspecialty; it can
produce both dramatic success and dismal
failures with tragic consequences. A broad range
of patients, from newborn to the
elderly are seen and treated.
Contact Organization: American Association of
Neurological Surgeons.
Neurology. Practitioners in this area are involved in the diagnosis and
treatment of
brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and
neuromuscular diseases. They frequently attend
patients suffering from stroke, seizure, and a
severe headache. This is primarily an
office-based specialty whose demand is
increasing as the number of its elderly in the
population increases.
Contact Organization: American Neurological
Association.
Nuclear Medicine. Specialists in this field use radioactive materials for both
diagnostic
and treatment purposes. A variety of aspects of
physics, statistics, computer science, and
math are used in conjunction with medicine. The
radioactive material is introduced into
the bloodstream to provide imaging of selected
body organ systems. Practitioners
are hospital-based and secure their initial
training in internal medicine, radiology, or
pathology.
Contact Organization: American College of
Nuclear Medicine.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. This dual specialty deals with the female
reproductive
tract both in health and illnesses. The former
involves providing medical and, when nec-
essary, surgical care to pregnant women.
Gynecologists apply the same two approaches
to diseases of the reproductive tract and also
deal with problems of infertility. Special-
ists commonly work in both areas, but as they
advance in years they tend to remain only
in gynecology. This specialty is considered
part primary care because of a broader inter-
est in women's health.
Contact Organization: American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Occupational Medicine. A subspecialty of preventive medicine, it focuses on
the
effects of certain potentially hazardous
occupations on the worker's health. Occupa-
tional physicians, therefore, work for the
government, industry, academic institutions,
and specialized clinics.
Contact Organization: American College of
Occupational and Environmental
Medicine.
Ophthalmology. This
specialty is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of
dis-
eases of the eye and periocular area. It is
largely office-based, but involves medical and
surgical components and thus is very popular.
Patients of all ages are seen and subspe-
cialization is common due to the technological
and medical advances made in this field.
Contact Organization: American Academy of
Ophthalmology.
Orthopedic Surgery. Specialists are engaged in diagnosing diseases and injuries
to the
bones of the extremities and the vertebral
column. Aiming to preserve maximal muscu-
loskeletal function, surgical, medical, and
physical therapy approaches are used. This
specialty is appealing to those who have
superior manual dexterity and like to work with
their hands. It commonly involves emergency and
night calls.
Contact Organization: American Academy of
Orthopedic Surgeons.
Pediatrics. These
specialists are concerned with the general well-being of children
and
adolescents and even adults. They provide
routine, preventive care and treat acute and
many chronic illnesses for those in the lower
age range, with whom they establish long-
term relationships. This is, for the most part,
an office-based specialty, with currently
more females entering than men
practicing.
Contact Organization: American Academy of
Pediatrics.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Specialists in this field are known as
physia-
trists. They are involved in the diagnosis and
location and treatment of individuals with
User Comments Add a comment…