Whats the differance???

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EdCadore

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Pediatrics are doctors for children.
Internal medicine is a doctor for adults.

Whats is he differance in a family doctor then?
 
EdCadore said:
Pediatrics are doctors for children.
Internal medicine is a doctor for adults.

Whats is he differance in a family doctor then?

FPs are doctors that see patients from the young to the elderly. They can do ob and colonoscopies and other procedures that a general internist can't do. Also, FPs see general peds cases but will refer peds patients to other peds specialists. FPs do mostly outpatient work. Internists do mostly inpatient work but some do ambulatory care also. I think internal med is good for someone who wants to specialize in another field, cards, GI, Heme/onc. Most people who go into internal med usually have their sights on these fellowships because yes they pay much more money. General peds and general FP are in the lowest end salary wise. This is the reason why other physicians make fun of them and think that if you worked so hard to do med school why not go for the big bucks. I want to be an FP and know of other FPs who are doing well financially. It all depends on what you want to do. Do what makes you happy. In the ends no matter how much or little you make you will stick to it and be satisfied.
 
EdCadore said:
Pediatrics are doctors for children.
Internal medicine is a doctor for adults.

Whats is he differance in a family doctor then?

We don't limit ourselves to either.
 
dulceleche said:
General peds and general FP are in the lowest end salary wise.

All of the non-procedure-oriented generalist fields, including general internal medicine, are compensated very similarly under current reimbursement schemes. IMO, it's actually easier to develop a favorable payer mix in family medicine than it is in general internal medicine due to the fact that most general internists see a larger percentage of Medicare patients. Similarly, many general pediatricians are saddled with a sizable Medicaid population, which pays even less.
 
KentW said:
All of the non-procedure-oriented generalist fields, including general internal medicine, are compensated very similarly under current reimbursement schemes. IMO, it's actually easier to develop a favorable payer mix in family medicine than it is in general internal medicine due to the fact that most general internists see a larger percentage of Medicare patients. Similarly, many general pediatricians are saddled with a sizable Medicaid population, which pays even less.

I did not know that. I just went by the salaries that are posted on the internet. I knew that salaries are dependent on location, what type of patients one sees, and whether or not one does many procedures. I think there are also many family-oriented FPs out there meaning that they choose to work part-time or the 8-5 week to spend more time with their families. FP average salaries are dependent on alot of factors. There are probably some super uber FPs making some big bucks but that's another story. Like I said before, urgent care, hospital care, and finally sports medicine make more than the average FP. Do what makes you happy. If you are a good family doctor, you should earn a decent salary.

dulce
 
On a plaque a patient once gave me:

Family Physicians are trained to care from the moment you are just a thought, till the time you become just a memory.
 
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