Medical Specialty Lesson: Who Treats What?

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Updated: Mar 25, 2025

Lesson

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different types of doctors? Some help children, some treat broken bones, while others focus on the brain or even the heart. These different kinds of doctors are called medical specialists, and each one is trained to care for specific parts of the body or certain types of illnesses.

Let's learn about the different kinds of medical specialties and how they help people stay healthy and recover when they're sick or injured.

What Is a Medical Specialty?

A medical specialty is a specific area of medicine that a doctor chooses to study in great detail. After finishing basic medical school, doctors can train for more years to become experts in a certain kind of care. These specialists use their extra knowledge to treat specific health problems that general doctors may not be able to handle alone.

Doctors might specialize in:

The brain and nervous system
Bones and joints
Children's health
Cancer care
Mental health and emotions
Imaging tools like X-rays or MRI scans

Specialists help patients get the best care possible by using their advanced skills and tools.

Take This Quiz:

Medical Specialty Quiz - Which Medical Specialty Is It?

Pediatricians: Doctors for Children

Pediatricians are doctors who care for children from birth through the teenage years. They are trained to understand how young bodies grow and change. Pediatricians check that children are developing properly, getting their vaccines, and staying healthy.

They help with:

Regular check-ups
Common illnesses like colds and flu
Allergies and asthma
Nutrition advice
Behavior and emotional support

Pediatricians are often a child's first doctor and the one they see most often.

Psychiatrists: Doctors for Mental Health

Psychiatrists are doctors who specialize in mental health. They help people who are struggling with how they think, feel, or behave. Sometimes, people with mental health challenges feel sad all the time, get very worried, or have trouble concentrating.

Psychiatrists:

Diagnose mental health conditions like anxiety or depression
Provide counseling and support
Prescribe medications when needed
Work with families and schools to support patients

They play an important role in helping people feel better emotionally and mentally.

Hematologists: Doctors of Blood and Spleen

A hematologist is a doctor who studies and treats diseases of the blood and spleen. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and the spleen helps fight infections.

Hematologists treat:

Anemia (when the body doesn't have enough red blood cells)
Clotting disorders (problems with blood thickening)
Blood cancers like leukemia
Spleen-related problems

They use blood tests, bone marrow exams, and special treatments to help patients live healthier lives.

Otolaryngologists: Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists

Otolaryngologists, also known as ENT doctors, treat problems with the:

Ears (hearing loss, infections)
Nose (sinus problems, allergies)
Throat (tonsillitis, sore throats)

They also perform surgeries such as:

Removing tonsils
Repairing broken noses
Putting in ear tubes

These doctors help people breathe, hear, and speak better.

Radiologists: Experts in Medical Imaging

Radiologists are doctors who use imaging tools to find out what's happening inside the body. They don't treat illnesses directly, but they help diagnose them using tools like:

X-rays
Ultrasound
CT scans
MRI machines

By carefully studying these images, radiologists help other doctors decide what kind of treatment a patient needs.

Podiatrists: Doctors for Feet and Ankles

Podiatrists specialize in caring for the feet and ankles. We use our feet every day, so it's important to keep them healthy. These doctors treat:

Flat feet and high arches
Sprained or broken ankles
Warts, bunions, and toenail issues
Diabetic foot problems

Podiatrists may also recommend special shoes or exercises to relieve foot pain and improve balance.

Bariatric Surgeons: Helping with Weight Loss

Bariatric surgeons help patients who are struggling with obesity. They perform surgeries like:

Gastric bypass
Sleeve gastrectomy

These surgeries reduce the size of the stomach, which helps patients feel full faster and eat less. This kind of care often helps people become healthier and avoid serious diseases like diabetes or heart problems.

Bariatric surgeons work closely with nutritionists and counselors to support patients before and after surgery.

Oncologists: Cancer Specialists

Oncologists are doctors who diagnose and treat cancer. Cancer is a group of diseases where cells in the body grow out of control.

Oncologists may use:

Chemotherapy (strong medicine that kills cancer cells)
Radiation therapy
Surgery
Targeted therapies that focus on specific types of cancer

They also support patients and families emotionally during difficult times, and they often lead research to find better cancer treatments.

Nephrologists: Kidney Doctors

Nephrologists are doctors who treat problems with the kidneys. The kidneys are important organs that filter waste from our blood and help control blood pressure and fluid balance.

Nephrologists treat:

Kidney infections
Kidney stones
Kidney failure
People who need dialysis or a transplant

They help keep the body's internal system clean and balanced.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists (OB/GYN): Women's Health Doctors

Obstetricians take care of women during pregnancy and childbirth. Gynecologists treat general women's health issues. Many doctors are trained in both and are called OB/GYNs.

They help with: