Despite being doctors in separate fields, pediatricians and family doctors often help patients in an urgent care center—the former takes care of children while the latter focuses on assisting adult patients based on their needs. But during emergencies, how do doctors respond to their patients’ needs?
1. Different Pieces of Training
Different levels of education and training are a significant difference between pediatricians and family doctors, who are both trained to provide medical care to people.
Pediatricians go to medical school and specialize in the treatment and care of infants, children, and teenagers. This medical professional is trained to examine patients and offer diagnoses and treatment for common diseases, infections, and injuries that afflict them.
On the other hand, family or general practitioners head to medical school to become general physicians. This type of doctor focuses on adult patients and is trained to diagnose and handle a more comprehensive array of diseases than pediatricians. Aside from pediatricians, family doctors are also trained to take the same emergencies and subject matter level.
2. Focus Patients
When a medical emergency happens, it’s most likely that a family physician will be the first to respond. They are the type of doctors that usually serve as medical officers in a given community. They also have a more significant number of patients than pediatricians, which means they can take care of them in shifts.
Aside from that, family doctors are trained to handle emergency cases and are also part of the medical team in hospitals. Pediatricians, meanwhile, don’t have a lot of patients to take care of, so they’re not trained to handle emergencies because their patients are represented by infants, children, and teenagers.
3. Family Doctors Cover a Larger Scope
Family doctors have a more comprehensive range of services compared to pediatricians. Aside from taking care of patients, they can also handle other responsibilities such as serving as the medical officer of a community, the medical director of a medical office, and an instructor in a medical school. As mentioned earlier, they are also part of the medical team in hospitals. On the other hand, pediatricians can only focus on taking care of patients and handling cases in the hospital.
4. Roles in Hospitals
Family doctors are usually the first to be called by a hospital during an emergency case because they have the required skills and training in handling cases and providing medical services. On the other hand, pediatricians are rarely called upon because they’re considered to be specialized types of medical doctors.
5. Both Are Convenient Options
Regardless of the type of physician, both are trained to treat various conditions and take charge of a patient’s health. There are times when a family doctor can take care of patients and look for the best treatment for their condition. In the end, both types of doctors have different roles, but they have been trained to handle emergency medical conditions just the same.
Conclusion
Family physicians are trained to respond to patients with urgent medical needs, and they are highly qualified to handle emergencies. They are also trained to provide medical services to a more significant number of patients in a community.
But despite having many differences between the two medical professionals, both types of doctors offer the same way in providing patients with the medical care they need. If you need medical assistance, both can be great options for you.
Agile Urgent Care is an Urgent Care Association-certified urgent care center based in New Jersey. Through our 24-hour medical services, patients can walk in and get the medical help they need no matter what time it is of the day. Allow our skilled and experienced staff to take care of you today by visiting our clinic.
