Family practice v. general practice: A few quick tips

Family practice v. general practice in Atlanta

So you're feeling under the weather and want a doctor's opinion on your ailment; or maybe your little one has a persistent cough and a mild fever. Should you go see the family doctor or make the trip to the emergency room? Is there a clear winner in the family practice v. general practice debate? What's the difference between family practice and general practice anyway?

Choosing a health services provider is a big decision, one that should be made after a good deal of research has been done. Not to worry though! Here are a few tips to consider when trying to decide which type of practice is right for you and your loved ones:

• Family practice physicians generally treat all age groups, from infants to adults, for a range of different health issues. Assisting with childbirth and caring for the terminally ill are not uncommon functions for these medical professionals. Most of the time they work out of small clinics or private practice offices. Family practice physicians, due to the nature of their, well, practice, have an intimate knowledge of the patient's medical history and can offer more intuitive diagnoses than general practitioners.
• General practice physicians are more specialized. They usually only treat adults and focus much of their work on diagnosing internal maladies that don't normally require surgery. These practitioners usually refer their patients to specialists for treatment. Generally these professionals work out of hospitals, though they do sometimes have private practices as well.
• Both types of practitioners are required to complete a three-year residency following four years of medical school. General practice residencies are usually in internal medicine, while family practice residencies tend to include training in pediatrics. After their residencies, general practice doctors tend to specialize further, in fields such as gastroenterolgy, cardiology, neurology, etc.

Make sure to check with a few of the family practice and general practice physicians in the Atlanta area before making a final decision. Remember, in the family practice v. general practice "debate," neither is better! One just may be more suitable than the other for your particular situation.